Big news out of Tampa Bay yesterday, as the Rays continue to do what the Rays do. Matt Moore signed an extremely team friendly 5 year $14 million dollar deal with three affordable club options that could bring the total value of the contract up to 8 years and $40 million. Yes, TNSTAAPP and all, but Matt Moore looks every bit the future ace that Steve Slowinski of FanGraphs has been calling him since before his September call-up. We got a small taste of what Moore could do when he ended up starting Game 1 of the divisional round in the hitters paradise that is the Ballpark in Arlington, and shut down the mighty Rangers offense, yielding two hits and no earned runs in seven innings.
This is, in my opinion, a great move on the part of Andrew Friedman and the Rays. They are basically gambling $14 million ($2.8 million per year) on Moore living up to his potential and becoming the heir apparent to David Price, who will almost assuredly not be in Tampa when he hits free agency. Even for a cash strapped team like the Rays, $2.8 million is not a huge risk. If the gamble pays off, the Rays could save around $20 million through Moore's arbitration years. The cherry on top of the deal is the three team options on top of the extension, which if exercised, could keep Moore in Tampa through his age 30 season. Not much risk for a potentially huge reward.
Much like the Evan Longoria deal, this shows that the Rays front office might be the smartest guys in the room. They have one of the lowest payrolls in the majors while playing in the same division as two of the top spenders in the league, yet they find a way to compete. Friedman and co. know what their limitations are (and there are many), and they have developed a strategy to overcome the odds that are stacked up against them.
This is not necessarily a one sided deal, though. The 22 year old Moore gets financial security after logging only 17 days of major league service time. Moore was an 8th round draft pick, out of high school that received a 100 thousand dollar bonus, so this move for him is a way to ensure he gets a payday that will set him up for life if he is smart with his money. If Moore becomes a bona fide ace, he clearly will have left millions of dollars on the table. But, in baseball (especially with young pitchers) there are no guarantees. Back in 2003 Mark Prior and Dontrelle Willis were both can't miss aces, and we know what happened to them.
Lastly, this deal all but ensures that Moore will be in the Rays rotation on Opening Day next year. And for that, we can all be thankful.
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