Reports now surfacing that Madson would've been comfortable signing the alleged 4/$44mil contract, but the Phils walked away at the last minute...if you believe super-agent Scott Boras. RAJ sees it differently, saying no such deal was in place, and basically if they (the Phillies) wanted Madson, they'd have him. They didn't, so they don't. I'm certain it wasn't as clear cut as either side is making it. There's probably something to be said for the Phils not wanting Boras to dictate the process - which he assuredly would have, free markets be damned - but I think the Pap signing was a knee jerk reaction the other way. Either way, I think both sides come out a little banged-up. Boras read the closer market wrong, or maybe he didn't and the market placed Madson where it placed him for a reason; and the Phils very likely flushed a decent chunk of coin in the crapper.
Sure would be interesting to see the Reds and Phils in the post-season now though, huh?
Any thoughts on who screwed the pooch here? Who walked away from the table?
Part of the issue is I think Madson has closers stuff, but lacks the closer personality. Phils brass saw that and would not commit the closers job to him perhaps so Boras advised him to bluff or walk. We overpaid for PapelBUM and the Reds got a "closer" for set up man money.
ReplyDeleteThe thing is, I'm not sure I ever trusted Madson as the closer consistently. I knew eventually if the Phils got past the Cardinals it would end badly. If Texas had a better closer, they'd be World Champs.
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