Matt Wieters isn't the only Oriole looking for money this offseason and not getting it as wunderkind third baseman Manny Machado has made his feelings about his "disappointing" contract public, according to a report by the Baltimore Sun published Monday night.
Manny Machado thinks Orioles contract is ‘disappointing’
All-star phenom Manny Machado calls his slightly-better-than-league-minimum contract “disappointing”, doesn’t want to wait for pot of gold at end of service time rainbow.
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Coming off an All-Star season and a ninth place showing in the MVP race in his first full year in the majors, the phenom made it clear to reporters that while he’s not happy with the $513,000 contract he signed this season. “At the end of the day, you just have to go out and play.”
His disappointment is understandable considering his performance last season and what he projects to be in the future, but such is the lot in life for the Manny Machados and Mike Trouts of the world. As a 21-year-old six-plus win player, the shortstop-turned-Gold Glove- third-basemen would likely generate a king's ransom on the open market from any team looking to a fill a need at either one of those positions, or really any position period.
But, with the emphasis for teams on protecting the money they invest in scouting and development, Machado is simply the latest in an increasingly longer line of prospect who must wait their turn at the pay window because of a lack of service time. Thankfully for him, he has some company on his own team, with players like outfielders Adam Jones and Nick Markakis and the aforementioned Wieters having undergone the same process while trying to come to a mutual agreeement over a contract the team can unilaterally renew without the player's consent.
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The third baseman doesn't seem to be taking that lying down, however, telling reporters "I'd love to be an Oriole forever. I love the organization, I love the fans here. I love everything about this, and putting the uniform on every day,"I just want to be treated fairly. That's it." Further complicating the process for the Orioles and their young star is that Machado is coming off knee surgery following his scary (but not nearly as bad as it could have been) injury at the very end of last season that occurred while he was trying to run out a ground ball and twisted his knee in a way that it should absolutely not go.
While he may project into an all-world player worth his weight in gold (gloves), the team would have been significantly more likely to give him the type of good faith offering that the Angels gave Mike Trout under the same auspices. And unlike Trout, Machado still has more than one full season under such salary restrictions and team control after this season.
Though, there may be a silver lining to this story of mild acrimony between potential millionaires and current billionaires, as according to the report, it appears that the Orioles may be willing to negotiate once they get a better idea of he recovers from his injury. And if that happens, based on the amount of money he stands to make, the crab cakes will be on Manny from here on out.
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