No (Ed)win $ituation
Several factors why expensive slugger remains a free agent
EDWIN Encarnacion hit 42 homers and drove in 127 runs last season, and has the kind of consistent production that every team craves. Yet it is nearly Christmas, and one of the best hitters in the world remains unsigned. Even his representative, Paul Kinzer, admitted Wednesday in a phone conversation with The Post, “We are pretty surprised, too.” Kinzer said he still expects his client to get a “three- or four-year contract with a good AAV [annual average value].” He said the predictions early on that Encarnacion might get in the fiveyear, $125 million range did not come from his camp. Of that price tier, Kinzer said, “Are we going to get there? No, that is unrealistic.” Kinzer said he believes his client was hurt by a “perfect storm” of having the qualifying offer put on him by the Blue Jays (which meant the loss of a first- or second-round pick) and the lack of clear guidelines about future luxury-tax thresholds until a new collective bargaining agreement was done on Nov. 30. That the luxury-tax thresholds did not rise significantly, but the penalties did, Kinzer said, also dissuaded many big-market teams from spending substantial longterm dollars. Big-market clubs such as the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers, Cubs, Angels and Giants have either not pursued Encarnacion or not pursued him with vigor — for reasons that included not wanting to lose a first-round pick, not wanting to pay luxury tax, not needing the player or liking less expensive alternatives. “A couple of teams that have called just didn’t want to give up a firstround pick,” Kinzer said. Still, he added, “Five or six teams [are in], though one is not as serious as the others. Three teams really want the guy, but have to figure out how to make it work under their structure.”
The Rangers and Rockies have been mentioned as possible landing places for Encarnacion, and Kinzer said NL teams that would use him at first base (without the DH spot available) are involved. The Blue Jays reportedly offered Encarnacion four years at $80 million at the beginning of free agency and turned to Kendrys Morales (three years, $33 million) when that was rejected. Kinzer indicated Toronto is no longer a serious suitor.
Yoenis Cespedes found himself in a somewhat similar situation last offseason as arguably the best position player available finding diff iculty meeting an expected price. He ultimately finalized a deal with the Mets for three years at $75 million, but with the ability to opt out after one year to try the market again after pocketing $27. 5 million (which he did).
I asked Kinzer if this structure might now be the best path for Encarnacion because if he went back into free agency next offseason — via the new CBA — the slugger could not be made the qualifying offer again.
“That can happen with a team not picking with a premium draft pick [the teams with the 10 worst records last year would lose a second-round pick to sign Encarnacion, rather than a first],” Kinzer said. “But teams hold draft picks like gold right now. We just got caught in between luxury tax and the draft pick.”
Encarnacion also turns 34 in two weeks, and the market is flooded with power bats. Still, there is no one nearly as good as Encarnacion, who over the last five years has averaged 39 homers, 110 RBIs and a .912 OPS.
“This isn’t a one-year wonder,” Kinzer said. “This is a guy who has put up stats five years in a row. He is the rare power hitter who takes walks and does not strike out much, and he hasn’t been on the DL in two years [since July 2014 for a right quad strain]. He is the only guy still out there with 42-127, so we are sure he will have a job. We have had offers and we are still getting offers.”