[lex24]

1710609090[/url]']

1710562164[/url]']
Davis to the A’s for $2.5M plus a potential of $1M in performance bonuses.

There's something wrong with an arbitration system that deviates so much from market value. In the arbitration, the Giants posted a value of $6.5 million, Davis's reps post $6.95 million, and they tell the Giants any negotiated settlement "needs to start with a 7." Giants get Chapman instead who's better both at bat and in the field. The Giants try to accommodate Davis by seeking a trade, but they can't find any takers. They release him through waivers and still not a single team is interested, despite a number of teams clearly having needs at third base. Davis clears waivers and seven teams inquire about Davis through his agent, and Davis ends up with the A's for (max) half of what the Giants are forced to pay through arbitration. That just seems wrong to me, and the outpouring of sympathy for Davis from a portion of the fan base just seems nonsensical.

Reminds me of Kevin Pillar, who had a below-average 2019 season with the Giants (92 OPS+ for the Giants and 88 OPS+ overall for the season) and made $5.8 million on a one-year contract with the Giants. His agents were holding out for $10 million multi-year deal (?!) for a 0.8 WAR outfielder, who was 1.8 WAR at the plate and -0.7 WAR in the field. A certain prominent local sportscaster was agitating for the $10 million deal. Giants let him go, he ends up making his market value in 2020 at $4.25 million, then $3.6 million in 2021, then just $100k in 2022 (Dodgers signed him to a minor league deal and he only had a brief appearance in the majors), then $3 million last year -- and he's played for FIVE teams in just the four seasons since he's left. So many people wanted the Giants to ridiculously overpay for Pillar, which they do for too many free agents. fans and broadcasters are just unconscionable. Pillar has had 1.1 WAR collectively in the last four seasons. Same situation exists for JD Davis. He's making market value and the Giants dumped him. Boo-freakin'-hoo. Quit complaining about Giants management, getting rid of Crawford and Davis are two of the few things they got right.

Separate question: Giants have been rained out a lot, and have played fewer games than any team in MLB (15). All but four other teams have played at least 20% more games than the Giants and some teams have played 40% more. Think that will have an impact on Giant player performance?

I have found the whole Davis situation to be fascinating. My conclusion is that the Giants employed sharp tactics, but did nothing wrong. And either Davis or his Agent screwed up.

The key provision is paragraph 7 (b) (2) in the standard players contract. It provides that a Club may terminate a player at any time if that player fails “in the opinion of the Club’s  management, to exhibit sufficient skill or competitive ability to qualify or continue as a member of the Club’s  team.“ 

Thus, the determination lies solely with management. In this instance, once Chapman is signed management determined that Davis lacks the “competitive ability to continue as a member” of the team; not because of Davis’s overall ability, but because of the Giant’s the roster construction. He can’t compete with Chapman, they have Wade/Flores and Soler. There is no spot for him. 

 Section IX of the CBA then kicks in as to the amount of pay that a player will get if terminated. If it’s during Spring Training, there are two different percentages depending on when the player is terminated.  The Giants released him at the earlier time to save them more money. 

Obviously I don’t know what Davis’s agent said to him. But when you couple Section 7 (b) (2) with the “if file then trial” position that most teams including the Giants employ, if Davis was not warned about this exact scenario, then his agent failed him. If he was, and decided to roll the dice, it’s on him.

I have little doubt that the Giants wanted to go to arbitration with Davis so they could use this gambit if need be. Sharp tactics. But Zaidi’s duty is to the ownership. It’s not his job to protect the player.

I heard Evan Webeck today, and while he was very careful in choosing his words, he indicated that Davis was very popular, and the clubhouse is not particularly happy with the way this went down. Not upset that they signed Chapman – but not happy with the way Davis was treated.

So I wonder if this was another example of the Giants being “Pennywise and pound foolish.”

On your question about the rainouts – yes I do think it has an impact. Particularly the pitchers. They make sure that they get the work in on the day of the rain out. But it’s not the same as pitching in a game. Hopefully they can get enough in between now and the start of the season that it won’t matter much. If at all.

[lex24]

1710609090[/url]']

1710562164[/url]']
Davis to the A’s for $2.5M plus a potential of $1M in performance bonuses.

There's something wrong with an arbitration system that deviates so much from market value. In the arbitration, the Giants posted a value of $6.5 million, Davis's reps post $6.95 million, and they tell the Giants any negotiated settlement "needs to start with a 7." Giants get Chapman instead who's better both at bat and in the field. The Giants try to accommodate Davis by seeking a trade, but they can't find any takers. They release him through waivers and still not a single team is interested, despite a number of teams clearly having needs at third base. Davis clears waivers and seven teams inquire about Davis through his agent, and Davis ends up with the A's for (max) half of what the Giants are forced to pay through arbitration. That just seems wrong to me, and the outpouring of sympathy for Davis from a portion of the fan base just seems nonsensical.

Reminds me of Kevin Pillar, who had a below-average 2019 season with the Giants (92 OPS+ for the Giants and 88 OPS+ overall for the season) and made $5.8 million on a one-year contract with the Giants. His agents were holding out for $10 million multi-year deal (?!) for a 0.8 WAR outfielder, who was 1.8 WAR at the plate and -0.7 WAR in the field. A certain prominent local sportscaster was agitating for the $10 million deal. Giants let him go, he ends up making his market value in 2020 at $4.25 million, then $3.6 million in 2021, then just $100k in 2022 (Dodgers signed him to a minor league deal and he only had a brief appearance in the majors), then $3 million last year -- and he's played for FIVE teams in just the four seasons since he's left. So many people wanted the Giants to ridiculously overpay for Pillar, which they do for too many free agents. fans and broadcasters are just unconscionable. Pillar has had 1.1 WAR collectively in the last four seasons. Same situation exists for JD Davis. He's making market value and the Giants dumped him. Boo-freakin'-hoo. Quit complaining about Giants management, getting rid of Crawford and Davis are two of the few things they got right.

Separate question: Giants have been rained out a lot, and have played fewer games than any team in MLB (15). All but four other teams have played at least 20% more games than the Giants and some teams have played 40% more. Think that will have an impact on Giant player performance?

I have found the whole Davis situation to be fascinating. My conclusion is that the Giants employed sharp tactics, but did nothing wrong. And either Davis or his Agent screwed up.

The key provision is paragraph 7 (b) (2) in the standard players contract. It provides that a Club may terminate a player at any time if that player fails “in the opinion of the Club’s  management, to exhibit sufficient skill or competitive ability to qualify or continue as a member of the Club’s  team.“ 

Thus, the determination lies solely with management. In this instance, once Chapman is signed management determined that Davis lacks the “competitive ability to continue as a member” of the team; not because of Davis’s overall ability, but because of the Giant’s the roster construction. He can’t compete with Chapman, they have Wade/Flores and Soler. There is no spot for him. 

 Section IX of the CBA then kicks in as to the amount of pay that a player will get if terminated. If it’s during Spring Training, there are two different percentages depending on when the player is terminated.  The Giants released him at the earlier time to save them more money. 

Obviously I don’t know what Davis’s agent said to him. But when you couple Section 7 (b) (2) with the “if file then trial” position that most teams including the Giants employ, if Davis was not warned about this exact scenario, then his agent failed him. If he was, and decided to roll the dice, it’s on him.

I have little doubt that the Giants wanted to go to arbitration with Davis so they could use this gambit if need be. Sharp tactics. But Zaidi’s duty is to the ownership. It’s not his job to protect the player.

I heard Evan Webeck today, and while he was very careful in choosing his words, he indicated that Davis was very popular, and the clubhouse is not particularly happy with the way this went down. Not upset that they signed Chapman – but not happy with the way Davis was treated.

So I wonder if this was another example of the Giants being “Pennywise and pound foolish.”

On your question about the rainouts – yes I do think it has an impact. Particularly the pitchers. They make sure that they get the work in on the day of the rain out. But it’s not the same as pitching in a game. Hopefully they can get enough in between now and the start of the season that it won’t matter much. If at all.