Posted November 21, 200915 yr ESPN's Jerry Crasnick is reporting that contract extension talks between Josh Johnson and the Marlins have reached an impasse, and that the righthander will not agree to a new deal with the team at all. "Based on our conversations, there's no chance of doing a long-term deal with the Marlins," [Johnson's agent Matt] Sosnick said. "We made it clear that it was going to be this year or it wasn't going to happen. It was now or never. And the Marlins agreed." Sosnick says that Johnson made it clear he wanted to remain with the team, "but they just weren't comfortable going to the fourth year." Marlins' GM Michael Hill wouldn't comment on the negotiations as per team policy. The 25-year-old Johnson had a 3.23 ERA in 33 starts for the Marlins this year, making his first All Star Team. The righty earned $1.45MM in 2009, and has two more years of arbitration eligibility remaining before he hits the free agent market. Sosnick added that given his age and performance, Johnson's next contract could be worth nine figures. http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/11/johnson-marlins-extension-talks-reach-impasse.html
November 21, 200915 yr Author ESPN's Jerry Crasnick is reporting that contract extension talks between Josh Johnson and the Marlins have reached an impasse, and that the righthander will not agree to a new deal with the team at all. "Based on our conversations, there's no chance of doing a long-term deal with the Marlins," [Johnson's agent Matt] Sosnick said. "We made it clear that it was going to be this year or it wasn't going to happen. It was now or never. And the Marlins agreed." Sosnick says that Johnson made it clear he wanted to remain with the team, "but they just weren't comfortable going to the fourth year." Marlins' GM Michael Hill wouldn't comment on the negotiations as per team policy. The 25-year-old Johnson had a 3.23 ERA in 33 starts for the Marlins this year, making his first All Star Team. The righty earned $1.45MM in 2009, and has two more years of arbitration eligibility remaining before he hits the free agent market. Sosnick added that given his age and performance, Johnson's next contract could be worth nine figures. http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/11/johnson-marlins-extension-talks-reach-impasse.html
November 21, 200915 yr I really hope that this doesn't lead to a trade because Johnson is a true #1 starter when healthy. One of these days the Marlins will figure out that hammering out a long term deal is a way to control costs so that you don't have to trade a player like Miguel Cabrera before he even can become a free agent.
November 21, 200915 yr I really hope that this doesn't lead to a trade because Johnson is a true #1 starter when healthy. One of these days the Marlins will figure out that hammering out a long term deal is a way to control costs so that you don't have to trade a player like Miguel Cabrera before he even can become a free agent.
November 21, 200915 yr Like i previously stated we would be better off trading him for prospects and keep Dan Uggla longer term.
November 21, 200915 yr Like i previously stated we would be better off trading him for prospects and keep Dan Uggla longer term. You also stated that we should sign John Burkett and Jae Seo. Hush up already, troll.
November 21, 200915 yr Sosnick says that Johnson made it clear he wanted to remain with the team, "but they just weren't comfortable going to the fourth year." This may or may not just be posturing on the part of one or both sides, but as I've pointed out a couple of times in the last year, the inability to buy 80% disability coverage beyond 3 years makes it less likely (not impossible) that the Marlins will sign any given 4-or-more year deal. Each one they do (Hanley) makes it less likely that they'll do another one. The unknown is what Loria's upper limit is on total uninsured out-year exposure.
November 21, 200915 yr I still think we will reach an agreement with JJ. Now is not the time, with the stadium under construction to be dealing away several top players yet again, as the fanbase expects slightly more due to the stability of the franchise in Miami in the long term.
November 21, 200915 yr Could just be agent talk, I think them breaking off talks 4 months before ST is silly.
November 21, 200915 yr So this is all because the Marlins are refusing to offer a four year deal? Am I understanding this correctly?
November 21, 200915 yr This Marlins organization doesn't buy disability insurance, including on Hanley. For the most part it's unnecessary while employing almost exclusively year to year contracts.
November 21, 200915 yr FWIW(and it's not much IMO, it's why I didn't mention it earlier in the week).... I work in a Twin Cities surburb, and I had a customer, this past week, who noticed that I was wearing a Marlins jacket. He asked if I was a fan and if I knew who JJ was. I said Josh Johnson. The young man claimed to be Josh's brother Micah(I may have the spelling of his name wrong). He said the family was orginally from Minneapolis(which I knew). He thought that Josh could have pitched more innings in September, but the Marlins would pull him early. He was down for the Yankees series. I mentioned Brad Penny, and he remember him from high school(Oklahoma). It seemed like he was legit(but who really knows)....before he left, I asked if Josh was signing an extension....He sounded very positive that it was going to get done with the Marlins. I realize that there's more to it than what a brother thinks....but at least he did't say that Josh couldn't wait to leave....hopefully we'll get it done
November 21, 200915 yr I'll be fair to Loria this time. The agent has shown a tendency to bite more than he can chew regarding JJ, and I'm not surprised it has come to this. He seems like he truely believes he can get CC money for JJ come free agency, that just won't happen. Oh well, we have a while to work this out, not really concerned at this point in time.
November 21, 200915 yr If you read the full Crasnick article, they supposedly were using the Greinke contract as a framework, which is perfectly reasonable and proper. So I doubt the asked for 4 year/$60 million or anything, since that contract was 4/$38. I really, really hope this is just agent speak or something else. I love this team like nothing else, but this would make me very upset.
November 21, 200915 yr The Marlins were wary entering a 4 contract with JJ because of the insurance issue or because of committing that many years to a pitcher? I don't understand the insurance aspect to which you are all referring. Would someone mind explaining it?
November 21, 200915 yr I'll be fair to Loria this time. The agent has shown a tendency to bite more than he can chew regarding JJ, and I'm not surprised it has come to this. He seems like he truely believes he can get CC money for JJ come free agency, that just won't happen. Oh well, we have a while to work this out, not really concerned at this point in time. Seriously.
November 21, 200915 yr Like i previously stated we would be better off trading him for prospects and keep Dan Uggla longer term. facepalm No.
November 21, 200915 yr I'll be fair to Loria this time. The agent has shown a tendency to bite more than he can chew regarding JJ, and I'm not surprised it has come to this. He seems like he truely believes he can get CC money for JJ come free agency, that just won't happen. Oh well, we have a while to work this out, not really concerned at this point in time. He will get that money in 2 years. He just has to stay healthy. But his agent said we only want a little more than Greinke (basically exactly what I said in the arbitration thread). The Marlins are f***ing idiots if they do not sign Johnson to a 4 year $40-44 million contract. I still suspect it gets done and the Marlins "cave" on this one, but it's disappointing this happened in the first place.
November 21, 200915 yr So we trade him for mega prospects. I don't really like the idea of signing starters to very long contracts either.
November 21, 200915 yr I'll be fair to Loria this time. The agent has shown a tendency to bite more than he can chew regarding JJ, and I'm not surprised it has come to this. He seems like he truely believes he can get CC money for JJ come free agency, that just won't happen. Oh well, we have a while to work this out, not really concerned at this point in time. He will get that money in 2 years. He just has to stay healthy. But his agent said we only want a little more than Greinke (basically exactly what I said in the arbitration thread). The Marlins are f***ing idiots if they do not sign Johnson to a 4 year $40-44 million contract. I still suspect it gets done and the Marlins "cave" on this one, but it's disappointing this happened in the first place. If he's healthy and puts up numbers like he did this year, A.J Burnett's contract seems like a better comparison. And ya'll know I love JJ and want this contract extension done ASAP, I'm just weary that the agent is asking for too much, based on earlier comments. Usually they try to high ball early, one of the Marlins or JJ is gonna back down, we'll see which one it is. I can't see this stand still keeping up the entire offseason .
November 21, 200915 yr The Marlins were wary entering a 4 contract with JJ because of the insurance issue or because of committing that many years to a pitcher? I don't understand the insurance aspect to which you are all referring. Would someone mind explaining it? It is possible to take out disability insurance on an employee, in this case, JJ. Disability insurance would typically pay a player 60% of their original salary (at least this is the standard in regular industry) in case that player should encounter an injury which fits the standards of the contract. For the Marlins, they don't want to be on the hook for, for example, $10 million should JJ get hurt, because they would be paying an extremely high amount of money for little to no performance. So, they pay a premium which the insurance company agrees to, and in return, the insurance company agrees to pay a fixed percentage of JJ's salary in case of a [qualifying] injury. This mitigates the Marlins' risk a lot. Apparently, the fourth year will not be covered by an insurance company. So, the Marlins would be completely on the hook for his salary in that final year, which would probably be a salary of $12-15 million. I suppose they didn't want to risk that, if we are to believe these theories.
November 21, 200915 yr So if the Marlins truly can't sign him, does that automatically mean that he gets traded? Of course, that makes sense because it is the best way to maximize the return, but if the Marlins move him this offseason, the playoff chances for 2010 take a bit of a hit. If the Marlins think they can compete in 2010, trading away the only reliable starter from 2009 seems problematic unless the Marlins get someone ML ready in return.
November 21, 200915 yr “No one’s getting any kind of a discount now,� said Sosnick, who also represents Ricky Nolasco. “This was the last chance for a team to get a bargain for Josh… They money wasn’t even the issue. It was shocking they wouldn’t do a fourth year. Josh Johnson is going to sign one of the biggest free agent pitching deals in history. If it’s in the National League, he’s just going to come back and keep beating the Marlins.� per JCR These are the kind of comments I am speaking of. And per the Palm Beach Post, the Marlins were only willing to offer 3 years, $22 million when JJ and his agent wanted 4 years, $40 million I mean, with the ceiling JJ has, I don't blame him and his agent for scoffing at that offer.
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