Free Agency and Player Value

[BronxRik]

OK, so I read in some threads things like "he's not overpaid, it's what the market demands", or "we got great value considering the market", stuff like that. Now, my question is: If a free agent player wants to play in a certain locale, or even a specific team, and that team offers him less than 'market value', isn't he free to take the offer anyway regadless of what other players at his position are getting? Say, for example, Canty really wanted to play on the East coast because he is from the Bronx. Washington passed on him, but he knew before scheduling the interview a ballpark # he wanted, and went to the Giants interview. In the meantime, Seattle and Green Bay were also calling his agent. For the sake of argument, say the Giants low balled him, but GB made a larger offer, and seattle tripled it. If he really wanted to play in NY instead of the frozen tundra, or rain soaked seattle, isn't he free to choose no matter what? Like if he was offered, $2 mil and breakfast at Denny's over the life of the contract, and he really liked Grand Slam breakfasts....there's no 'rule' against taking less money, is there? I'm sure his agent wouldn't be too pleased, but how much is actually left to the player to decide on compensation?

[Lubeck]

I don't think there is any agreement out there that forces a player to take the best offer. Not sure where you even came up with the idea that there is such a thing when players and agents talk about hometown discounts.

[BronxRik]

I don't think there is any agreement out there that forces a player to take the best offer. Not sure where you even came up with the idea that there is such a thing when players and agents talk about hometown discounts.

I was using the locale as an example, I'm not real smart when it comes to the contract stuff like others on here are. Hell, I didn't even know there was such a thing as a hometown discount. I guess what I was trying to say is: If a player wants to play for less just to be somewhere in particular, or with a certain team, how much say does he have in his compensation. Like if, for example, Jacobs was let go into free agency, and the Dolphins offered him 40 million, but the Giants offered him only 15 million, but he really thought the Giants had a better shot at the 'bowl and wanted to stay, could he?

 

Ya know, the hell with it, I think I've answered my own question as I sit here typing it out, I just thought your reply deserved one back. Thanks.

[Virginia Giant]

I'm not sure about football, but in baseball you get a lot of pressure from the Union to take the best offer you can get. I don't think they can tell you that you can absolutely not take a lower figure to play somewhere, but there is always pressure to raise the bar when it comes to contracts.