Eric Byrnes contract extended: $30m for three years

by Jim McLennan on Aug 7, 2007 5:09 PM EDT in Diamondbacks News

So, looks like Eric Byrnes will be patrolling left-field for three more seasons, as noted in the diaries. The poll so far pegs most fans as happy with the signing, in sharp contrast to the weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth that can be found in some other forums. I have to admit, I'm surprised at this development: it's not that long ago, we were being told that talks had been broken off for the season. But, hey presto, just in time to boost attendance for a home series against some seriously crappy teams, the deal is announced. Coincidence? Apparently, the deal was proposed after the Braves series.

Put me on those who are mildly pessimistic about this one. It seems to leave the team with nowhere to play Carlos Quentin, with the expectation that the everyday lineup next season will be Byrnes, Young and Upton. Nor does it appear to leave much room for another top prospect, Carlos Gonzalez, though I think he probably won't be ready for the bigs until maybe late 2009, or 2010, the final year of Byrnes' contract. It doesn't seem to me that Byrnes gave the team much of the "hometown discount": 10m/year seems to be about par for the course. However, a three year contract is probably a bit shorter than he would have got as a free agent, and I'm pleased it's not a five-year deal.

It certainly appears that there was more to this trade than just Josh Byrnes: it seems that the ownership, and in particular Jeff Moorad, played a significant part in getting this done. That is ominous, given the precedents of long-term deals given to the likes of Russ Ortiz and Sean Green: how did those work out? :-( The key question, however, is which Eric Byrnes do we get for the next three seasons? The one who posted OPS+ of 95 and 75 the past two seasons? Or the one this year, at a career-high tying level of 118? [Albeit before the widely-predicted second-half slump - his August stats appear to have fallem off a cliff, albeit in five games]

Of course, OPS doesn't take into account some aspects of his game, such as the stolen bases: he's on pace for 40 this year. Or the PR value - or, perhaps more significantly, the negative PR value of letting the "face of the franchise" walk away at the end of the season, for the second year in a row. But I have to wonder if the $10m would have been better put towards other organizational needs: outfielders are not something we appear to be short on, compared to, say, starting pitchers. But then again, what would $10m per year get you on the 2008 free-agent market?

I really hope this organization knows what it's doing. However, we probably won't know the answer to that for another year or so, at least. Best-case scenario: Byrnes continues to hit, Carlos Quentin returns to form, and we trade the last couple of years of the Byrnes contract to the Cubs for Carlos Zambrano. :-) Worst case? Eugh. Let's not go there: for today, let's accentuate the positive, and revel in being two games clear atop the National League West. Plenty of time for recriminations between now and October 2010, as and when appropriate.

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The humanity

"and we trade the last couple of years of the Byrnes contract to the Cubs for Carlos Zambrano."

You are forgetting about the FULL NO TRADE CLAUSE!

Second. Worst. Front. Office. EvAR.

Bob Melvin Sucks

by nihil67 on Aug 7, 2007 6:42 PM EDT reply actions

Kendrick & Moorad responsible for this

They went over Josh's head. This was made abundantly clear in the press conference.

This was ALL about ownership and the PR/Marketing department overruling the baseball operations people.

by shoewizard on Aug 7, 2007 11:23 PM EDT up reply actions

Went over his agent's head, too.

Come on, Sandy Baby, loosen up. You're too tight.

by DbacksSkins on Aug 8, 2007 1:13 AM EDT up reply actions

That doesn't mean he can't be traded...

Just not without his consent.

by Jim McLennan on Aug 7, 2007 11:23 PM EDT up reply actions

No big deal

It's being driven off of GMJ's latest contract with the LAAAAAAA Angels. Byrnes 2007 is damn near identical to Matthews' 2006 except for Eric crushing him in SB. In a time when most of these guys sign for long-term deals, I'm okay with 3, though 2 would've been better.

How exactly was AZ supposed to replace his production? After all, he is the team leader in damn near every offensive stat available. Plan "A" was for Quentin to be the man but that hasn't worked out too well so far. I think CQ will be a really good player but when will it show at the MLB level? Carlos Gonzalez is playing okay in the Southern League but definitely is not setting the world on fire.

Byrnes has this city's casual fan wrapped around his finger between the print ads, commercials, billboards, and TV show. We can't get fans to the park now to see a first place team and letting go of Mr. DBack sure wasn't going to help the attendance.

by AZSEAfan @ AZ Snakepit on Aug 7, 2007 7:16 PM EDT reply actions

<dies>

"Byrnes has this city's casual fan wrapped around his finger"

I've run out of ways to comment on how much that shouldn't matter when you're putting together a team that you want to have win something.

Bob Melvin Sucks

by nihil67 on Aug 7, 2007 7:49 PM EDT reply actions

righto

BUT look at the sturm and drang over something that has nothing to do with W/L record: the colors of the uniforms.

IF the D-Backs let Byrnes go they would have been vilified and crucified by the likes of Bickley et al.

And unfortunately that matters. It really does.

Perception does not equal reality. But it is usually more powerful. And the perception being perpetrated is the idea that this front office could care less about the fans. The non-signing of Eric Byrnes would have been appropriated by the malcontents as further proof that this front office is full of nothing but...... (insert your own negative perjorative).

As others have pointed out at least it isn't for 5 years. And hopefully Byrnes continues to produce. Honestly, without his production this year - this team likely wouldn't be sitting atop the NL West. Or anywhere near it....

I don't mind that the Diamondbacks allowed some marketing/business reality seep into the baseball decision making. It's a reality of the sports landscape today - and crusty curmudgeons be damned - probably always has been.

by cavscout on Aug 7, 2007 10:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Ben

I feel your pain brother. I'm seeing the same thing with my other team (Seattle) and their tendency to keep the fan favorites long after they've been useful. Boone, Dan Wilson, Sexson, and Ibanez are just more recent examples.

by AZSEAfan @ AZ Snakepit on Aug 8, 2007 1:21 AM EDT up reply actions

The difference is,

Byrnes is still the most productive player on the team offensively. Your comparison is more apt to Gonzo than Byrnes.

Come on, Sandy Baby, loosen up. You're too tight.

by DbacksSkins on Aug 8, 2007 1:56 AM EDT up reply actions

Yes,

thank you for explaining my ramblings better than I did.

by AZSEAfan @ AZ Snakepit on Aug 8, 2007 4:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Good signing.

Cheaper would have been better, of course. But 3 years is a fine length. Keeping our own free agents is still going to be a better deal than getting anyone on the free market, and there's NO good pitcher signable by us that'll be a FA.

Additionally, I don't think it can be overstated that Byrnes gives the team a personality, gives it chemistry, and a little leadership. He may showboat, but he tries hard at everything he does. (And succeeds at a lot)

We're also perpetually wringing our hands at how lousy our fan base is. Eric Byrnes puts people in the stands. Period. Until we're making the postseason every year, people just aren't going to show up to see a vanilla team of wide eyed 25 year olds.

Come on, Sandy Baby, loosen up. You're too tight.

by DbacksSkins on Aug 7, 2007 7:56 PM EDT reply actions

Does he?

"Eric Byrnes puts people in the stands. Period."

Last Night's Attendance: 25,340

Attendance on 8/17/2004, which was the 1st game of a 3 game series at home against the Pirates, also the first game of a homestand, and was also on a Tuesday night: 30,030

Seems to me that last night should have been a huge Eric Byrnes draw night and should have even had the added draw of Justin Upton's first game here. Instead, it's 5000 people behind a game where at that point in the season the team was 36-84.

I think that everyone, including the front office, would like to think Eric Byrnes draws crowds. It's bullshit. Who knows what draws crowds to Chase Field? It's obviously not a winning team or "exciting" players just being resigned or even exciting rookies making first starts.

No, I bet tomorrow's attendance will be over 30k. Byung-Hyun freaking Kim will draw people to the ballpark. Why? Who the hell knows.

Bob Melvin Sucks

by nihil67 on Aug 8, 2007 1:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Close

30,030 was the attendance on the 17th, but that wasn't the first game in the series or the homestand. The first game of the series and the homestand was on the 16th, where 28,768 people came out to see the 36-83 Diamondbacks and Brandon Webb lose 8-7 to the Pirates.

Still more.

Bob Melvin Sucks

by nihil67 on Aug 8, 2007 1:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Not a big Byrnes fan but...

Attendance in 2004 means little because Byrnes wasn't the only variable. He's certainly captured alot of attention this year with his play - particularly since most of the other bats have been mediocre at best.

Who knows how low attendance and overall fan interest (t.v., etc.) might be without the rascally Eric Byrnes? Trade Byrnes away and perhaps last night's game had 1/4 fewer fans. We'll never know.

In an informal poll - just about half of the coworkers I asked could name more than 5 Diamondback players. Yet almost all could name Byrnes. Surprisingly, Johnson was second most frequent. (I assumed #1). Webb was third most mentioned. Now, I'm not arguing recognition of Byrnes has a 1:1 correlation with buying tickets or watching on T.V., but it seems quite obvious that Byrnes is the identity of this team. It's all about the Q factor. And for some (many?) that's a reason to watch. I'll admit that I don't get it - I'm rooting for the laundry, ahem team - not watching solely because of an individual player or three. But I know that many do. Too many.

Without opening the can of worms that is the old v. new front office bullshit - I don't think those heady yesterdays of huge attendance numbers and big time buzz will ever be recaptured. Even with future World Series rings and nickle beer nights. Nope. Oh, crowds will grow - but the Valley has already been there, done that. Next cool trend please. Cause it ain't baseball anymore. The hipsters and people that must be seen have left it behind - in the safe and capable hands of the BASEBALL fans.

Wondering how Upton changes things, and how quickly.

by cavscout on Aug 8, 2007 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions

I read your response on the other thread first.

First, my statement was obviously an oversimplification.

However, your response oversimplifies as well and misses the point. People haven't cared about the Diamondbacks for a few years now, and with the loss of Gonzo, even fewer care. Perhaps there was more attendance at that 2004 game because Gonzo was around then. Think so? That argument is no more oversimplified than yours, saying "Well, in 2004, this many people came to a game, and in 2007, fewer came. Therefore, Eric Byrnes didn't twist people's arms and make them come to the game." This is flawed. There's no comparison.

Eric Byrnes puts a face to this team that people can recognize, and through dumb stuff like The Eric Byrnes Show, (which you're now sure to denigrate) he works this team back into the popular consciousness. The hardcore fans are going to be there no matter what. (Except those who still pine to bow down before Jerry Colangelo) Players like Eric Byrnes, that actually give the team personality, are what will remind the casual "fan" that "Oh yeah, we have a professional baseball team. That's right." See the other discussions we've had here on building a fanbase. Simply stringing together some winning seasons, which we all want, isn't enough.

Fans are generally unlikely to dislike the personality of players on their team. (See: Bonds, Barry) More likely they're just ambivalent.

But people LIKE Eric Byrnes. That's why he helps make this team a draw.

Come on, Sandy Baby, loosen up. You're too tight.

by DbacksSkins on Aug 9, 2007 3:58 PM EDT up reply actions

chemistry, personality, blah, blah, blah

Every person who has defended this signing has pointed to Byrnes' personality, charisma, etc. C'mon. I believe Carlos Quentin, given a full year in LF in 2008 would produce numbers that are only slightly below what Byrnes would produce. Given the fact that you're doling out league minimum for Byrnes, are you telling me that we're paying $10M a year for Byrnes' smile? Ugh.

Don't misinterpret me. I'm not saying Q would outhit Byrnes in '08, just that he would be close. He'd have a higher OBP, better defense, fewer SB and less power. All in all, Byrnes is better. But not $10M better. And the point here is that money spent on Byrnes is money NOT spent elsewhere. It has become completely clear this year that Owings, Nippert et al will NOT be ready to be significant SP contributors next year (barring a miracle). So, spending some major money on a front-end starter would be money well spent. $100M for 5 years of Zambrano (including his whiny attitude)? Sign me up.

by johngordonma on Aug 7, 2007 8:59 PM EDT reply actions

I normally agree with alot you have to say but,

Quentin was given a chance this year and failed miserably. Perhaps 2007 WAS his tryout for the organization. If Quentin had a good year, we'd be getting picks in next years draft for Byrnes because he probably would not have been extended.

Who's to say that Zambrano (or Santana) would even want to sign with a small payroll team, in a hitter's park, with low run support and a non-supportive fan base? Even if the money wasn't an issue, I'm guessing he'd go to LA/LAA/NYM/NYY/Cubs/BOS before coming to AZ.

If Nippert and Owings won't be ready next year, what makes you think Q would be?

by AZSEAfan @ AZ Snakepit on Aug 8, 2007 1:19 AM EDT up reply actions