Here are the contract details on Daisuke Matsuzaka, Kyle Farnsworth and Jose Valverde as reported by Joel Sherman of the NY Post via Twitter. All three pitchers each signed a minor league deal with a spring training invite.
Farnsworth can earn a base salary of $1.5 million, with a bonus of $75,000 for 40, 45, 50 and 55 appearances. That then increases to $100,000 for 60 and 65 appearances. He can also earn $100,000 for 30 and 35 games finished, $250,000 for 40 and 45 games finished and $300,000 for 50 games finished.
* Farnsworth can opt out of his contract and become a free agent if he is not added to the big league roster by March 23.
Valverde has a base salary of $1 million, with a bonus of $75,000 for 40, 45, 50 and 55 appearances. That then increases to $100,000 for 60 and 65 appearances. He can also earn $100,000 for 30 and 35 games finished, $250,000 for 40 and 45 games finished and $300,000 for 50 games finished.
* Valverde can opt out of his contract and become a free agent if he is not added to the big league roster by March 26.
Matsuzaka can earn a base salary of $1.5 million dollars if he is added to the big league roster. He can earn $100,000 bonus for 130 and 140 innings pitched, and $150,000 for 150/160/170 innings pitched, and $200,000 for 180/190/210 innings pitched. He can also earn $50,000 for 14 games started and $75,000 for 17, 20, 23, 26, 29, 32 games started.
* Matsuzaka can opt out of his contract with the Mets if he is not promoted to the team by May 30.
Seems to me that the pressure to keep them from bolting for free agency almost assures that Valverde and Farnsworth are virtual locks for the bullpen. That of course is inline with comments made by Terry Collins at his press conference on Friday.
It will be tough for some of the younger arms we projected for the bullpen to make the team if that’s the case. This pretty much changes things.
Speaking of relievers, the Braves announced that they have agreed to terms with Craig Kimbrel on a four-year contract worth a guaranteed $42 million to avoid arbitration.
