Hometown Discount
by redhornet78 on Nov 9, 2009 7:58 PM PST
45 comments
I've been thinking for a while about how much a free agent's home city affects where they want to sign. I bring this up because of our discussion concerning Nick Johnson.
I sense not too many of us would be too distraught if we were to sign Johnson to a reasonable contract, and since he's a local guy (Sacramento) and I'm trying to figure out if a homecoming would give us the "hometown discount" that would appease all parties involved (and most importantly us). It seemed to work with last year's Johnson signing and may give us a bit of a discount this year as well. Even if it's a slight advantage and it saves us a million or two that is money that can go to signing more international talent or towards an additional impact player.
For added help I looked up where the top free agents are from to see if we have any advantage:
Matt Holliday - Stillwater, Oklahoma
John Lackey - Abeline, Texas
Jason Bay - Trail, British Columbia
Chone Figgins - born in Georgia, grew up in Florida
Randy Wolf - Los Angeles, California
Andy Pettitte - born in Louisiana, grew up in Texas
Jose Valverde - Dominican Republic
Marco Scutaro - Venezuela
Adrian Beltre - Dominican Republic
Rich Harden - Victoria, British Columbia
Mike Cameron - LaGrange, Georgia
Johnny Damon - born in Kansas, raised in Florida
If there is anything to being near your hometown then the only slight advantage might be offering the BC guys a shorter flight to go home, but that's stretching it. It looks like Johnson is the only impact player that might fit my idea but I'd like to hear everyone's opinion on the matter and if anyone can remember a free agent taking less money to go home again.
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Oh, and on a personal note
I’ve been pretty AWOL from MCC since summertime- after temporarily moving to Brooklyn in August it’s been a whirlwind of travel and starting a business, but now I finally have a permanent place in Manhattan (right next to Central Park, which is amazing) and will definitely be involved in the off-season discussions. I’ve checked in from time to time and we have some pretty funny newbies, some exceptional work from the vets, and apparently a weird new layout.
Dodgers fans eat their young.
by redhornet78 on Nov 9, 2009 7:59 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
Does this mean you’re now a part-time Yankee fan?
"The part of the roster where most of the money is spent, though, is on free agents and guys acquired through trade — guys Sabean did play a big role in acquiring. And they are not good. When you get 2/5 of a pitching rotation for free, you would think you could do better with $76 million than to field the league’s worst offense."
-Taliesin September, 2009
by Lyle on Nov 10, 2009 6:26 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
hell no
after the giants my allegiance goes to whoever is playing the dodgers, the indians (thanks to Major League) then the mariners, because i love how they just always seem to screw up whatever they do.
Dodgers fans eat their young.
by redhornet78 on Nov 10, 2009 3:47 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Unfortunately, many times the $$$ is most important in the end. Keep in mind with Johnson that he might have wanted to play near home because he knew it would likely be his last year and want to make it somewhat special.
We were hoping to get Sabathia on a “hometown discount” but in the end he went for the $$$ and signed with the Yanks.
YOU EAT YOUR DAMN EGGROLL
by heimy25 on Nov 9, 2009 8:15 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
We didn’t even make an attempt though.
by velvadp on Nov 10, 2009 1:35 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
How do you know? Just because they never announced anything doesn’t mean they didn’t try. I think the Giants offered him some mediocre deal that only a huge hometown discount would have incited him to take. They knew how much he wanted to come here, they needed another starter, and they knew how good he was. It’d be stupid not to try.
by quincy0191 on Nov 10, 2009 1:38 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
BROOKLYNNNN....
Welcome back. Sort of. Other than the prohibitive cost of living in Manhattan, it is a freakin’ awesome place to live. Hope the business is doing well.
The only player I can think of in recent memory giving a significant hometown discount was Carlos Lee (thank god) choosing the Astros over the Giants. Of course, I am sure the 312 ft Crawford Boxes in LF did not hurt either.
Matt Downs . The Kevin Frandsen of 2010 !
by nvsfg on Nov 9, 2009 8:16 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
Jermaine Dye, Xavier Nady, (possibly) Eric Byrnes
these are some other hometown guys along with Johnson
by 49erEmpire on Nov 9, 2009 8:57 PM PST via mobile reply actions 0 recs
No, God No, OH SWEET LORD IN HEAVEN, NO NO NO NOOOOOOOOOOOO!
"Being a McCoven is like being a member of the Green party. It’s powerlessness is part of the appeal." - oldjacket
by scout6 on Nov 9, 2009 9:21 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
I presume the “No” was for Jermaine Dye, the “God No” was for Xavier Nady, and the “Oh Sweet Lord in Heaven, No, No, Noooo” was for Eric Byrnes.
Yeah, that about sums it up.
"The part of the roster where most of the money is spent, though, is on free agents and guys acquired through trade — guys Sabean did play a big role in acquiring. And they are not good. When you get 2/5 of a pitching rotation for free, you would think you could do better with $76 million than to field the league’s worst offense."
-Taliesin September, 2009
by Lyle on Nov 10, 2009 6:28 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
I think it’s rare that players give hometown discounts, but I think Byrnes would be one of those guys (not that I’d want him). He lives in HMB and with all his appearances on KNBR and Comcast, it looks as though he’d like to build a post-career doing broadcast work here.
"We're in this thing!" My adopted Giant: "Raptor Jesus" Guzman, "Sweet Jesus" Guzman and Jesus H. Guzman.
by Goofus on Nov 9, 2009 11:11 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
No. Oh good god no. No home-town money for any of those guys.
Joe Martinez: You are cool.
When it's all said and done, America will be remembered for three things: The Bill of Rights, jazz, and baseball.
by cornball on Nov 10, 2009 5:53 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Good lord, I hope the Giants can stay away from offering any kind of home-town money to those guys.
Joe Martinez: You are cool.
When it's all said and done, America will be remembered for three things: The Bill of Rights, jazz, and baseball.
by cornball on Nov 10, 2009 5:53 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Randy Winn!
We're all basically Pedro Feliz.
by SF Pete on Nov 10, 2009 10:21 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
I read BC and I was like
YEAHHHHHHH EAGLES
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
"AT LAST I AM A PARENTS." - Buster
by jponry on Nov 9, 2009 10:18 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
Me too. Me too.
Joe Martinez: You are cool.
When it's all said and done, America will be remembered for three things: The Bill of Rights, jazz, and baseball.
by cornball on Nov 10, 2009 5:52 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
East Coast bias!!!
"The part of the roster where most of the money is spent, though, is on free agents and guys acquired through trade — guys Sabean did play a big role in acquiring. And they are not good. When you get 2/5 of a pitching rotation for free, you would think you could do better with $76 million than to field the league’s worst offense."
-Taliesin September, 2009
by Lyle on Nov 10, 2009 6:29 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Giants get shorter-flight discount
Sign several players from Australia.
You wish you were named Frederick Deshaun...
by dregarx on Nov 9, 2009 10:45 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
Well, I know that Mark Texeira thought money was more important than living near home. Likely the same for CC Sabathia (if either of the Bay Area teams put in an offer it wasn’t anywhere near enough, but still) as he clearly did not want to go to New York but the money ended up being too appealing.
I think we mostly delude ourselves into thinking that certain players will be cheaper or otherwise easier to sign because they’d be “coming home”. I don’t think these guys put too much emphasis on playing where they want. After all, if they get a fatter contract that’s just more money for flights home. IMO, the only players that do give a “hometown discount” are guys that are on their way out. Johnson sort of did that; on the other hand, he’s was a 45 year old pitcher that his long-time team didn’t want, so $8M isn’t that cheap.
by quincy0191 on Nov 9, 2009 11:44 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
Well, in CC’s defense, the Yankees just kept upping their offer until he couldn’t say no. “CC, here’s $100 mil”…“I dunno, I like the West Coast”…“Okay, here’s $161 million”….“Thanks, Mr. Cashman.”
by tyrannoman on Nov 10, 2009 9:15 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
he clearly did not want to go to New York but the money ended up being too appealing.
by quincy0191 on Nov 10, 2009 1:39 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Why do people automatically assume that everybody must love their hometown and all things being equal would prefer to move back there. I’d have be paid extra (much much extra) to ever move back to the San Joaquin Valley, even though my memories of it are mostly fond ones. Frankly, at no point in my adult/professional life has the thought of looking into moving back that area even occurred to me in the slightest, though I imagine I could find work in the Valley if I wanted to.
The vast majority of people I know are from somewhere else other than where they grew up and by and large have no special interest in going back. In fact, most adults I know wouldn’t even consider the place they grew up as their “home” at all. Randy Winn has shown that he’s excited to be back in the Bay Area, but I wouldn’t assume that’s a majority opinion among professional athletes, no more than it is among the population at large.
Way leads on to way, as the poet says.
My Bucardo is better than yours.
A hot August weekday, before a small crowd, when the only thing at stake is the tissue-thin difference between a thing done well and a thing done ill. Insofar as the clutch hitter is not a sportswriter's myth, it is a vulgarity, like a writer who writes only for money.
by Roger on Nov 10, 2009 6:41 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
I agree, as someone living in a God awful place with no intentions of going home. But I also believe sports are a different animal. Mainly because you get to play for your childhood team, but we never know a persons rooting based on where they grew up.
say hey nation is the Ralph Nader of McC.-Xanthan
by say hey nation on Nov 10, 2009 7:05 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
I guess I generally don’t expect athletes to make professional decisions much differently than I would and I wouldn’t think to make any professional decision based on my childhood. I just question the relevance of that as a decision making factor. Though I’ll grant that that clearly was a relevant factor to Barry Bonds and we got a serious boon because of that, but I wouldn’t count on those kind of pennies from heaven falling very often. Mostly I think professional athletes (like professional baseball writers) have their rooting interests quelled pretty early on.
My Bucardo is better than yours.
A hot August weekday, before a small crowd, when the only thing at stake is the tissue-thin difference between a thing done well and a thing done ill. Insofar as the clutch hitter is not a sportswriter's myth, it is a vulgarity, like a writer who writes only for money.
by Roger on Nov 10, 2009 8:20 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
I agree, but I imagine it plays more of role once an athlete reaches the twilight of their career.
say hey nation is the Ralph Nader of McC.-Xanthan
by say hey nation on Nov 10, 2009 8:21 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
like everything else, I think it depends on the person involved. I was born in Kansas, grew up in Colorado, and now live in the Bay Area. Were I in that position, I would give much greater consideration to the Bay Area, second to Colorado, and none at all to Kansas (though I will say Rock Chalk Jayhawk). It’s funny how “home” evolves with us.
by tyrannoman on Nov 10, 2009 9:17 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Man, Madera sucks. I would never move back there. Not even for a raise.
There are a few problems with assuming the hometown discount, and it all comes down to the individual person.
Firstly, just because they list a town as their hometown, does not mean they spent significant time there. Maybe they had fonder memories of their college town than they did of the place where they grew up.
Secondly, living near family probably plays a significant role in the decision. If most of the family has moved away, there’s probably less connection to the “hometown”.
Thirdly, what if the hometown team sucks—bad. Why would you want to go to a crappy franchise for a discount, just because you grew up rooting for a team?
Fourthly, these guys have tons of cash. Why not just buy a 2nd home in your hometown?
I’m sure there are plenty of other reasons why the hometown discount doesn’t really mean anything.
by Fresburg on Nov 10, 2009 9:38 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Location is just one of many factors that affect a players (or a person making a job decision in general) end decision. Of course for some people it’s more important that for others, and as you said, there will be circumstances where a person doesn’t really have much of a connection left to their “hometown”…but in general, I think it’s pretty safe to say it’s a factor. How tangible is that factor going to be? Well, it often can make the difference between Carlos Lee playing in Houston as opposed to SF, assuming a similar contract offer, or it might mean a small discount, but expecting any substantial discount is foolish. Most players have a number of locations they’d be ok with, and money talks more than anything.
It’s also not usually not so much a “hometown” thing as a “location” thing. A lot of people like living in cool cities like Boston, NY, Chicago, SF, others might like the midwest or the west coast or east coast. Again, it’s just one of many factors like winning, fan support, contract, weather, franchise reputation, etc….
by Missing Barry on Nov 10, 2009 9:45 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Could you imagine John Rocker singing any contract with SF. Even if it saved his career? Man that would be amusing.
say hey nation is the Ralph Nader of McC.-Xanthan
by say hey nation on Nov 10, 2009 9:47 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, I agree that it can be more about location than hometown. But to your point, isn’t Carlos Lee’s hometown in Panama?
by Fresburg on Nov 10, 2009 12:47 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
All the reports were he’d much rather be in Texas than the Bay Area. That’s kind of the point, it’s not necessarily a hometown thing, it can simply be a location preference…
by Missing Barry on Nov 10, 2009 3:45 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Lee has a ranch in Texas.
I know you nerds know NOTHING about the real game of baseball, or any other athletic endeavor requiring teamwork under physical stress.
Mr. F! | comics | art | New Nattowear | Unofficial McImage Directory
by Natto on Nov 10, 2009 3:57 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
I'd love to go back home
Even though that seems unlikely at this point :-(
Aaron King is still my homeboy... iffy mechanics and all
McFAQ for all you newcomers out there.
GET THAT VORP AND WHIP SH!T OUTTA HERE!!!
by baetown415 on Nov 10, 2009 9:18 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
But if we gave you a discount?
"The BB's are out. The BB's are being arseholes to me." - Brian Wilson.
by hairball on Nov 10, 2009 9:23 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
I guess it would depend on the discount.
Aaron King is still my homeboy... iffy mechanics and all
McFAQ for all you newcomers out there.
GET THAT VORP AND WHIP SH!T OUTTA HERE!!!
by baetown415 on Nov 10, 2009 9:54 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Whoa
Well, right now, since I’m an unemployed grad student, I would. But hmm…
Aaron King is still my homeboy... iffy mechanics and all
McFAQ for all you newcomers out there.
GET THAT VORP AND WHIP SH!T OUTTA HERE!!!
by baetown415 on Nov 10, 2009 11:06 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Maybe it's just the Valley
Dustin Pedroia on his hometown of Woodland, CA:
Woodland adores Dustin Pedroia. . . Even Thursday, after word spread that he had called the town a “dump” in an interview with Boston Magazine. . . “Everyone wants to get out of there,” the magazine quotes Pedroia. “The place sucks.”
Insert witty signature of your own choosing here.
by Flapjacks McGurty on Nov 10, 2009 1:51 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Not everyone took it in stride
I know you nerds know NOTHING about the real game of baseball, or any other athletic endeavor requiring teamwork under physical stress.
Mr. F! | comics | art | New Nattowear | Unofficial McImage Directory
by Natto on Nov 10, 2009 2:03 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
To be fair, Woodland is a craphole.
Utter frustration and futility.
by Johnny Disaster on Nov 11, 2009 8:03 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
LOL Hometown Discount
you do know that Sabean was rehired, right? If Sabean wants Nick Johnson he’ll offer him more money and more years than anyone else. The concept of intelligent negotiating tactics is not something he’s familiar with.
No Edgar, it's not your fault, it's the fault of the idiot that plays you
by rxmeister on Nov 10, 2009 2:16 PM PST via mobile reply actions 0 recs
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