Agents don't look out for their clients. Here' why

[NYChez]

Agents look at their players like an investor looks at their risky stock portfolio. You hope that one or two stocks hit it big and those gains offset those performing substandardly.

 

If an agent only had one player to look out for, they would have similar views as the player - risk averse. For agents that have a lot of players, if 60% lose out by not "striking while the iron's hot" and waiting for the mega deal, it doesn't matter because of the money they make on the 40%. From the players' perspective, though, those 60% get really hurt.

 

Guys like Fielder need to realize this. Take 5 years, $35 million now and you're set for life, and then some. You might end up losing out on $10 million or so at the end of the deal, but you're also not going to end up with 2% of that money if, God forbid, something happened to jeopardize your career.

 

The agent can't think in risk averse terms because in the long run, their diversified portfolio is going to pay off if they always hold out for the huge deal. When you're dealing with people, and not stocks, however, you're not doing your clients a favor by taking this approach.

 

 

(added tag --1992)

[dadofandrew]

That's a good way of putting it, and exactly why Boras goes year-to-year with almost every single player.

 

I'd sign a long-term deal, at 75% of my "market value" in a split-second if I had a year like Braun. $30M in hand is much better than $45M if I stay healthy.

[TooLiveBrew]

Take 5 years, $35 million now and you're set for life, and then some.

 

Or.... you play the 1 in 1,000 odds (or whatever they are) that you don't suffer a career-ending injury over your next 3-4 seasons and make damn near that entire contract value in one season, if you're Prince.

When you're dealing with people, and not stocks, however, you're not doing your clients a favor by taking this approach.

 

Manny Ramirez, Carl Pavano, Miguel Cabrera, & Ryan Howard all say hello... just to name a few examples.

[logan82]

If I was a pitcher I would look at a long term deal more seriously than if I was a position player. Pitchers seem to have more career ending or career damaging injuries than position players do. I think in Fielder's case the odds are that he doesn't get hurt badly in the next 4 years. Nothing bad enough to effect a future contract. Yes, I did knock on wood.

 

From the team's point of view I don't see any reason to give out any contracts longer than 4 years plus option years. I also don't see any reason to give out a long contract that doesn't buy out free agent years. You may save a few million, but a few million is just a small drop in the bucket compared to a team's total salary.

[endaround]

That's a good way of putting it, and exactly why Boras goes year-to-year with almost every single player.

 

I'd sign a long-term deal, at 75% of my "market value" in a split-second if I had a year like Braun. $30M in hand is much better than $45M if I stay healthy.

Of course if your Braun you got like $2 million already (not including a decent pension) and pretty much are set for a comfortable life. And you can personally insure injuries

 

[Thurston Fluff]

I agree with end on this one. Most players who are in the postition of negoitiating big deals have already made enough moeny to be reasonably well of the rest of their life. In reality if any of us received the minimum for one year we would be in position to buy a decent house which is most peoples largest financial burden of their lives. If they make it to arby they already probably made their first million. After the arby years if they only made the minimum it'd be around $2 million. Most of that is done by the time most of us are just paying off our college loans and such. It is a gamble but they are pretty much gamling with house money. That makes it much less risky.

[logan82]

Why should agents look out for their clients? Bottom line is that they will make more money if they don't.

[NYChez]

Why should agents look out for their clients? Bottom line is that they will make more money if they don't.

The player has got to be smart enough to realize this.