Big Contracts for Big 1Bs

Two big-time highlight reel baseball players signed huge contracts with their historically popular clubs yesterday to extend their stays with their teams 4 and 5 years respectively. More coincidentally both of these players were MVP runners-up last year, had solid- though not overwhelming careers in the years leading up to last year, both came into the league in 1997, both are 30 and both are first basemen [we'll give Papi the benefit of the doubt on this one and allow him a real position]. There seems to be a story here: A tale of two 1Bs.

Derrek Lee before last season was someone that many of us remembered as being part of that corps of Florida players acquired after their first fire-sale in 1997 who then went on to be a significant offensive impact in leading the Marlins to their second World Series championship in 2003. We knew him among a group of players, as part of a team, but not a top-of-the-game player.

David Ortiz is a slightly different story. We knew him well before last year. He was fresh in our memory as one of the players who led the Red Sox to their first World Series chamiponship since before the time that the Yankees won their first of 26. He had very impressive numbers in 2004 to go along with his ring. But just one year before that Ortiz, big as he is, was not on many people's radars.

Both these players had good careers before the past few years. Ortiz had, in his three full seasons played, hovered around a .280 BA, a .360 OBP, averaged a .510 slugging percentage and had very good, though not necessarily notable, power numbers for home runs, doubles and RBIs. Lee had, in more full seasons, averaged .280, got on base at a .360 clip, slugged .500, and had virtually identical numbers to Ortiz in doubles. He outhomered Ortiz a bit in this time and also had a few more RBIs. Neither of these players were slouches and both made a sizeable contribution to any lineup, but it wasn't until last year that Lee broke out adn brought his game to the next level. Ortiz beat him there by a year, but even he crushed his previous year's stats with last year's MVP- eligible performance.

Lee crushed opposing pitching batting .335 last year while getting on base nearly 42% of the time -thats good. While Ortiz only hit .300 he still reached base safely 40% of the time he came up to the plate. Lee obviously wasn't hitting dribblers and bloops sneaking by infielders to get on base according to the evidence, because he slugged .662 last year hitting 50 doubles and 46 HRs. Ortiz followed suit in keeping up with the Joneses, er, Lees. He slugged .604 with 40 doubles and 47 HRs. Though it would appear Lee kept up with and then surpassed Ortiz, lets not forget that Ortiz knocked in 148 runs last year while Lee knocked in just 107. Overall the contributions of these two men offensively were pretty equal last year as they have been throughout their careers. Both men also only gained notability upon settling into a new surrounding after a season that brought them onto a bigger stage. People also really began to see their value when each was a big part of their team's World Championship run.

One has to wonder if these two players' fates are inextricably linked somehow. Not only are all the preceeding similarities the case, but despite the great seasons put up by each of these guys, each finished as runner up to a better and more established player. Both of these guys could consistently end up being the second best hitters in their leagues for years to come because Albert Pujols and Alex Rodriguez, two legends in their own time, are entrenched playing for each of these 1B's rival teams.

Though each were paid relatively well up to this point, Ortiz at 5.5 million/year, Lee at 7 million/year, they now both have great new contracts which recognize the type of player they are. Lee has 5 years and 65 million awaiting him with the Cubs now averaging out at 13 million per year, while Ortiz is getting 4 years and 52 million averaging out at...lo and behold 13 million per year. And people say there's no equality in baseball. The end of the story for these two men lies years in the future, we can only wonder and hope that their careers continue to mirror each other in two of the most legendary cities and ballparks in the MLB.