sportsjabber.net

When defining this offseason, I think we will define it as a player’s market. We have seen aces, pseudo aqes, mediocre bullpen guys, and not quite superstars get paid like superstars.

It seems like everyone at every position has made out this offseason. Every position that is except DH. With a renewed emphasis on speed and defense that has taken place over the past couple of seasons in baseball, DH’s are no longer getting the love they used to.

DH’s like Manny Ramirez, Vladimir Guerrero, and Jim Thome have had a hard time finding jobs this winter because no teams want to meet their contract demands. Thome is a great example of the declining DH market.

Thome was reportedly said to be seeking around $8 million a year. Instead, he had to settle for $3 million.

Thome re-signed with the Minnesota Twins on Friday as the two sides agreed to a one-year, $3 million contract. The 40-year-old can also earn incentives based on plate appearances.

The Twins took advantage of the down DH market and Thome’s love of Minnesota (he supposedly took less money to play with the Twins) to get a tremendous bargain. I don’t think there is anyone who can say anything bad about this signing even if they tried.

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