Quote:
Originally Posted by Cod
Can anyone honestly tell me that Baez should be the 30th highest paid player based on AAV?
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Does he deserve to be the 6th highest paid shortstop based on AAV (which is more relevant than where he falls overall)? Yes, currently he does. He won't stay there forever because other SS will get signed to higher contracts than him in the future. But for the SS who have recently been signed to new or extended contracts, he's getting what he deserves.
Of course, I use the word "deserve" sarcastically because I think that most of the people on that list you linked to don't "deserve" what they're getting paid. Max Scherzer certainly doesn't "deserve" $43M. Nor does Garrit Cole "deserve" $36M. I don't even think Mike Trout "deserves" $35.5M. Except that in the context of when they signed those contracts, that's what they "deserved" in order to be signed.
Baez is no different. In the context of when he signed a contract, he got what he "deserved" according to the market. He is considered a high-end shortstop (YMMV) and he got paid like a high-end shortstop. But he didn't get paid like the best high-end shortstop. He got paid what he "deserved." IMO, most every contract for players who are considered high-end are "bad" contracts. In that sense, sure, Javy's contract is bad. But according to the context of when that contract was given, he got what he deserved. Not the highest, nor the lowest.
I will agree that thus far he has not lived up to that contract. But neither did half (or more) of the Tigers' team. Time will tell if he improves and produces more of those 110+ OPS+ seasons or puts up better fielding numbers like he has in the past. Not that I'm apologist for the guy or anything. He was my least favorite choice out of all the SS available this past season.