In a stunning move that has most MLB GM's screaming and crying, the Washington Nationals have signed free agent OF Jayson Werth to a seven-year, $126 million contract. Werth is a very good player and one of the top three free agents available, but seven years is far too long and $126 million is way too much money to be given to a 31 year old player.
In trying to rationalize the deal for the Nationals, it makes the loss of Adam Dunn a bit easier to take. Problem is that's about where the rationalizations end.
Nothing about this deal makes any sense for Washington. Werth is in the midst of his prime right now and that will last two, maybe three more years at this level. That still leaves four to five years and a ton of money on the contract.
The Nationals are not going to contend in 2011, probably not in 2012 either, so they will be paying a guy $18 million per year to help get them to 70-75 wins in the next two years.
By the time the contract is over, Werth will be one of the most overpaid players as he likely not to keep up his current level of performance into his late thirties.
Basically, this deal is a move designed to put a few more butts in seats early on and for the front office to say that they are spending to make the team better. Problem is when you are spending money in poor ways, it doesn't make any sense for the team.
Kudos to Scott Boras and Jayson Werth for being able to strike this deal because everything that I have seen or read prior to this was that Werth might be in line for a five-year deal at best.
The biggest winner in this whole thing is Carl Crawford. He is two years younger then Werth and a much better all-around player. He is now in position to get an eight-year contract for around $20 million a year, at least.
This move is a short sighted deal that does not benefit the team in any way, shape, or form. The deal makes absolutely no sense for the team since it's not as if they were one player away from contention.
The Nationals were going to get in contention by doing what they had been doing, investing in the draft and locking up their great, young players (like Ryan Zimmerman), not by throwing too many years and too much money at a 31 year old outfielder.
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