Werth hires Boras. What's the bigger picture?
Hours after hitting a walk-off home run to cap an incredible comeback by the Phillies, Jayson Werth hired Scott Boras as his new agent, a source confirmed.
Werth hires Boras. What's the bigger picture?
Matt Gelb
Hours after hitting a walk-off home run to cap an incredible comeback by the Phillies, Jayson Werth hired Scott Boras as his new agent, a source confirmed.
CSNPhilly.com was the first to report the move late Sunday night. Boras has not returned messages for comment. Werth has yet to file paperwork with the Players' Association to make the move official.
Of course, Boras' name needs little explanation. The superagent has negotiated some of the wealthiest deals in baseball history. In Philadelphia, he will forever be known for the J.D. Drew saga.
This time, Boras might actually be helping the Phillies. We'll explain later.
Werth began shopping for a new agent earlier in the season when he fired Jeff Borris of Beverly Hills Sports Council. The 31-year-old outfielder figures to be a top commodity on the free-agent market along with Tampa Bay outfielder Carl Crawford.
Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. has never ruled out re-signing Werth but the two sides have had few negotiations, especially with Werth changing representation.
"Doesn't mean anything to me," Amaro said last week about Werth's agent shopping. "That's his issue. I don't have any problems with agents."
But the hiring of Boras will have a great effect on how the Phillies approach the Werth situation -- and this goes beyond whether they can sign him or not.
Because really, the Phillies face a near impossibility in signing Werth. The 2011 payroll already is approaching $150 million and that is with money committed to just 16 players.
Werth is likely due a massive deal on the market. He is posting career-high numbers in batting average and OPS. He leads the Phillies in slugging percentage.
"It will play itself out in the off-season," Amaro said last week.
So back to how Boras can help: With him in the fold, the Phillies are even more likely to offer Werth arbitration. Even before Boras entered the picture, this was a move the Phillies were likely to make. Now, it's a no-brainer.
Why does this matter? Werth will be a Type A free agent. If the Phillies offer arbitration and another team signs Werth, the Phillies will receive two compensatory draft picks, including a first-rounder from the team that signs Werth.
But there is occasional risk in offering arbitration. If Boras and Werth decide there isn't a team willing to offer the multi-year deal they will seek, they could accept the Phillies' offer for arbitration on a one-year deal. Boras could make that a very lucrative one-year deal through arbitration. Then, the Phillies would either have to make the expanded payroll work -- or more likely trade Werth away.
That's a hard scenario to envision. There appears to be a substantial market for Werth.
Generally, Boras clients have rejected arbitration offers with the hopes of landing a multi-year deal on the market. And generally, that has worked out.
The Phillies have had limited dealings with Boras since the Drew incident in 1997.
One case shows Boras' willingness to avoid accepting arbitration. Following the 2003 season, Kevin Millwood was a free agent and Boras initially rejected a three-year, $30 million deal from the Phillies, saying there were longer and more lucrative deals for Millwood on the market. Eventually, Millwood accepted arbitration and signed a one-year deal for $11 million.
Other than Werth, Ryan Madson is the lone player currently on the Phillies roster represented by Boras. He negotiated a three-year, $12 million deal for Madson before the 2009 season began.
The team tried to re-sign a Boras client, Kyle Lohse, following the 2007 season. The Phillies offered as three-year deal around $21 million. Boras rejected it. Lohse ended up signing with St. Louis for a one-year deal worth $4.25 million.
They battled with Boras in arbitration over Travis Lee's salary in the 2001 off-season. Boras lost that case. He was seeking $1.6 million. Lee was awarded $800,000.
D-Brown is our new right fielder starting 2011, maybe LF if no more Raul. Face it people.— templeowl08
Comment removed.- Jayson Werth is a major reason the Phillies are in first place. If the Phillies want to dump salary because they are cheap and too stupid to start their own Phillies TV Network to bring in additional revenue, they should dump some other players besides Jayson Werth.— Gnip Gnop
- This guy cracks me up. He told sarge the other day after the walkoff he's had a great year numbers wise. I think announcing your numbers to the world as good and NOT TAKING A PIE IN THE FACE - means his minds on his money and his moneys on his mind. We'll see if Palazzo waives him around in this pennant race if he can man up and drill a catcher for a run, or tap dance around it like he did the astros— mondz
- If they replace Werth with Brown the starting 8 is 4 left, 2 switch (if Jimmy is healthy finally) and 2 right. Not crazy about losing a right handed bat.— ed_m
- I think Werth will be signed. I think this because I think RAJ finnally GOT IT. RAJ knows that with our continuous sellouts that it demands we are a continued yearly championship contender and he will now use this bankroll to sign Werth. He GOT IT when he signed Oswalt to make up for his Lee blunder. These are the Phillies glory days and RAJ now finally knows it.— Bob65S
- I DO LOVE THE WALKOFF THO— mondz
- Werth, our own Geico caveman, is neanderthal history in Philly now.
Domo mans RF.— Romus - Just keep the Core together and healthy - Werth will be replaced just like Burrel and that good center fielder they had, and whats his name first baseman who plays for White Socks and that nobody ex thirdbase man last year. Move past this already
- yes, I would like to see Jason stay, but i know the phillies don't have their own cable revenues like chi and ny teams and so they can't just ignore cost. if he gets a 3-5 yr deal worth more than 8 a year, it is reasonable to let him pass. i like the arbitration idea, though because one year might be ok for 12 million. get the draft picks or keep him one year and see what happens. if he's a bust, you're not burdened in 2012.— doc35
- The issue has nothing to do with agents. It is all about Jayson Werth and the Philliesz. He will amke his money with them as long as he doesn't want tofront load his deal. He has ben with enough teams too know that the phillies offer him the best opportunity for long term prosperity. Yes he can probably get more money but will that replace the commeroderie that he has deveolped with the Phillies. Lopok at the reaction to the wlk off last night and nothing more need be said to the future 2010 World Champs!!!— hrlevine
Nothing could be better than Werth accepting arbitration. We keep the lineup in tact with Dom Brown eventually replacing Ibanez in the second half of season. After 2011 Ibanez's contract is gone and Phillies could use that money to either resign Werth or get a RH bat on the market.— bird11
The Phillies made a big mistake when they traded Travis Lee for that Canadian kid... whoops, I mean Bruce Lee for that Canadian kid. Or was it Robert E. Lee?- Werth is a very good player but the Yanks or RedSox will over pay for him. Phils are in a tough spot because of having Dom Brown and Ibanez. IF they could somehow offload Ibanez salary they could probably afford Werth, you have to figure a good bit of salary comes off in 2012. The big problem is going to be I'm sure is the length of contract. Werth isn't having a great run producing year and will be 32 next year, so a 5 or 6 year deal is out of the question. Phils will offer probably 3 years at 42 million and he will sign for 6 at 85 million with Yanks.— bobf876
- With his hiring of Boras, Werth just punched his ticket out of Philadelphia (and away from a sure playoff team). If the Phillies were on the fence about whether to resign Werth, the addition of Boras and all his baggage into the picture makes trying to sign Werth not worth the hassle. Plus, now Dom Brown will become an everyday player. A team on top has to constantly move younger players into the starting lineup, and the Phillies haven't done that at all from 2008-2010. If they keep the same starting eight in 2011, they will all get old at the same time. .. With the money they save on Werth, they could go get a reliable closer.— jman
