Believe It Or Not, Stanton's Contract Makes Sense

Giancarlo Stanton recently signed a 13-year, $325 million contract with the Miami Marlins. Although the right fielder hit 37 home runs last season and came close to outpolling Dodger pitcher Clayton Kershaw for the National League MVP award critics have wondered about the wisdom of the Marlins' decision. You see, the contract will be the largest for any player in the history of North American sports.

I wondered too until I heard what Stanton had to say about the negotiations.

I gave him the benefit if the doubt because I admire his talent and I know he was a free agent and why shouldn't the Marlins do everything they could to avoid losing their best player?

Stanton first drew attention for his baseball ability at Notre Dame High in Sherman Oaks, so he's a Southern California guy. I like that about him too.

"I didn't ask them very much about the money, I asked about their plans for the franchise," Stanton said. "I wanted to know who else we'd have on the team."

He wanted an opportunity to play on a team with a chance to rise in the standings. Looking to his future, he didn't want to be the only major star on a lowly club.

What he agreed to do was take a lower amount of money than he could make elsewhere for the first three years so the Marlins could spend on other players.

He'll still get in the range of $6 million next season and up to $9 million in the third year and that's a lot of money. But it's far less than he could have asked for and received from other teams. He'll get a lot more in future years but the Marlins by then should have a quality roster. At least, that's the plan.

If he had insisted on equal sums of payments for the life of the contract he would have received $25 million each year.

If things don't go as planned Stanton can opt of the contract in 2020. Until then he can't leave and the Marlins can't trade him. So he's giving the team every chance to make it work.

I'm real interested in this story because I'm wondering what the Dodgers are up to financially. They too seem to be heading in a new direction after having the biggest payroll in baseball history last season but failing to reach the World Series.

Judging what they've done since the season ended, they appear ready to send away some of their highest-paid players. It's likely Andre Eithier or Carl Crawford or both will be traded.

They acquired outfielder Chris Heisey from Cincinnati last week, a good player but one who commands a lower salary.

We're going to have a lively off-season before baseball resumes early next year. In fact, the maneuvering has already begun.