Reds, Ryan Madson settle on $8.5 million contract

January 11, 2012   ·   0 Comments

Reds, Ryan Madson settle on $8.5 million contract

The AP reported early Wednesday morning that the Cincinnati Reds and Madson had reached an agreement on a one-year contract worth $8.5 million. Great work if you can get it, but nothing close to the $44 million dollar deal Madson reportedly was set to sign with the Philadelphia Phillies a month ago. That deal was apparently nixed by ownership, prompting Phillies’ GM Ruben Amaro to turn around and spend $50 million on former Boston Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon.

A month later, something has now become apparent to Madson’s agent, Scott Boras: Not only were the Phillies not going to pay his client, but no other teams were going to give Madson $44 million, either. Supply, say good-bye to demand. (And the next time someone insists that Boras could sell sand to Egypt, remember this moment.)

Not that $8.5 million is bad money — it’s close to what Madson would have made in arbitration — it’s just not what Madson figured he had coming on the open market. He saved 32 games in 34 opportunities in 2011, his first full season as a closer in Philly after setting up Brad Lidge (and others) for the better part of seven years. He has been a great relief pitcher, regardless of his second-class status as a setup man, but only closers get the big, big money. Well, some closers.

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