Tuesday's Big Deal

Were you surprised by the Phillies signing Andrew McCutchen as a free agent? Three years and $50 million for a 32-year old, 10-year veteran whose best days are behind him appears excessive, even in today's marketplace.
Sure, the longtime Pirate brings skills, but he's gone three years since hitting .280 and his speed and range have diminished enough that he's now a corner outfielder.
On the other hand, with Carlos Santana traded to the Mariners, the Phils needed a veteran leader -- and "Cutch" is widely admired for his clubhouse presence. And he still works walks -- his on-base percentage last year was .368 -- and well over .400 after being traded to the contending Yankees. With Rhys Hoskins moving back to 1st place, Gabe Kapler needed an everyday left fielder. So, he checks a lot of boxes.
Having watched him up close in his 25 late season games with the Yanks, I thought McCutchen would wind up settling for two years and $25 million. To see him get an additional year and double the total payout was a shock. He'd better bring those intangibles along with real production to Citizens Bank Park -- the signing looks like a "reach," or perhaps an over-anxious move after club owner John Middleton referred to being "a little bit stupid" with money this off-season.
(My image of McCutchen is from the June 4th, 2017 Pirates/Mets game.)

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