How much would you give Josh Hamilton if he hits FA this winter?

[Matt P]

The man is either the best or the second best OF in baseball. He's one of the best hitters in the game today and he plays a decent defense. He could play LF allowing the O's to DH Reimold next season.

Would you give him a Pujols type deal? Hamilton wouldn't be switching leagues like Pujols and he is a few years younger than Pujols if memory serves. Would an 8/200ish million deal be enough to bring him to Baltimore?

Imagine having him in the lineup. Suddenly we would have a legit clean up hitter to go along with Jones, Wieters, Hardy, and the rest. LF defense would improve greatly as well.

I'm not saying Angelos would ever sign off on signing any huge contract in the 25 + million range but it's just something to talk about. How much do you think he will get if Texas doesn't lock him up?

[DougDE]

Love to watch him play but he is probably one of the biggest injury risks to ever be a free agent. Big money free agent that is. A Pujols type deal is way out of the question in my opinion. I'd probably only want him at like half that. 5 for 125. He'll be couple years on the wrong side of 30 and couldnt stay healthy in his 20's

[ofahn]

I wouldn't take the risk.

[birdwatcher55]

Conditional 10/$350m... first five guaranteed.. next five conditional each season you're clean

[Ampontan]

Nothing. He's also a big risk to fall off the wagon at any time. Is one of the coaches still holding his meal money so he isn't tempted to blow it on crack cocaine? They were when he first came to Texas. He also admitted recently he had a relapse and went to a bar.

It's one thing to take a risk on a guy like Pomeranz, who also had a drinking problem, but he comes cheap. Hamilton won't

[birdwatcher55]

He's DD's secret offseason plan

[DougDE]

Conditional 10/$350m

Do you mean 250?

[Shorebirdfan]

He is 30 right now, and I would believe that a 10 year deal for ANY 30 year old is a bad deal. (Except maybe Jamie Moyer)

I don't think given the risk you can go much more than 5 years so say $135 million. Obviously that won't get him. Someone will throw 8 and more than $200 million.

[OriolesRedskins28]

One hundred BILLION dollars!!!

Love him but he is too much of an injury/relapse risk.

[Old Sneakers]

Wrong time to consider a long term deal especially for a player where injury is a concern. I like him so far, have no doubt. I just think it's better to have some money in the team account to sign a good bat when the time is right and keep loading up on pitching talent through the draft.

Sucks, I know. However the team will do a great deal better once it starts to lose pitching through free agency and starts becoming compensated for the loss.

[DougDE]

Sucks, I know. However the team will do a great deal better once it starts to lose pitching through free agency and starts becoming compensated for the loss

Isnt the compensation a lot less now?

[DougDE]

He is 30 right now, and I would believe that a 10 year deal for ANY 30 year old is a bad deal. (Except maybe Jamie Moyer)

I don't think given the risk you can go much more than 5 years so say $135 million. Obviously that won't get him. Someone will throw 8 and more than $200 million.

Agree with what you're saying, just noting that he's 31 on the May 21 so he'd be 32 that quickly after signing the deal

[dan72]

3 years 66 million and a case of beer his choice....

[Old Sneakers]

Sucks, I know. However the team will do a great deal better once it starts to lose pitching through free agency and starts becoming compensated for the loss

Isnt the compensation a lot less now?

I looked into this, and you appear to be completely correct.

After the 2012 draft, free agents will no longer be classified by "type". Instead, a team will only be able to receive compensation if it makes its former player an offer at least equal to the average of the 125 richest contracts.However, if a player is traded during the final season of his contract, his new team will be ineligible to receive any compensation.

Source Wikipedia

Looks like we will see more trades in a players last 2 years with his original team. Also 125 richest contracts doesn't sound all that fantastic. Only way a team can make out here is if salaries continue to skyrocket. I don't see that being the case, some gradual increasing sure. But Baseball isn't near so popular as it once was.