This offseason, the Baltimore Orioles signed veteran starting pitcher Charlie Morton to a one-year, $15 million contract to add some depth to their rotation.
It was a very solid payday for the 41-year-old, who has turned himself into a reliable starting pitcher over the last few seasons. He is certainly no stranger to the free agent process, as this was the fourth time in his career that he changed teams on his own volition.
From a fan’s perspective, free agency sounds like a great opportunity for players.
Teams are going to line up for their services and offer a ton of money to bring them to their franchise. However, that is not always the case.
There have been plenty of examples of veterans hitting the open market and not receiving the kind of offers they were hoping to get.
That has led to some players, such as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays and Justin Martinez of the Arizona Diamondbacks, signing extensions recently to secure long-term security and not endure the risks of the market.
Rarely is there a player who hits the market that the entire league is going to show an interest in signing. Trades could lead to a depressed market and players receive deals for a lot less money than they were anticipating.
Or, players could be in a similar boat to Morton, who loved where he was at and didn’t want to move on. But, sometimes it is out of the player’s control.
It takes two to tango when it comes to free agency negotiations, and if a team decides they no longer need a player’s services, then they have to find another franchise who is willing to take them on.
“I mean, it’s exciting because of the possibilities, right?” Morton says, via Bob Nightengale of USA Today. “Maybe you get a chance to put on a uniform of the team you always wanted to wear, or a chance for a fresh start, but I’ve always wanted to be a guy that wanted to be in the same place.”
The veteran righty hasn’t quite gotten what he wanted, with the Orioles being the sixth franchise he has pitched for in his career.
He started with the Atlanta Braves for one season, then was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he was for seven years. One season was spent with the Philadelphia Phillies, who acquired him in a trade, before he hit free agency and signed a deal with the Houston Astros.
That is when his career really began to take off, spending two seasons there before pitching two for the Tampa Bay Rays. Four years in a second stint with the Braves followed before landing in Baltimore this past winter.
“When I get into a room with a room full of guys, I want to devote myself to that group, that organization. And over time, when you’re always on different teams, it takes its toll. I went through a World Series with the Astros. I went through a World Series with the Rays. I went through a World Series with the Braves. Going through that every day with the highs and lows, and then a couple of years later, you’re out the door,” he added.
Morton further went on to explain that he’s not a fan of free agency for himself.
“To me, it’s not ideal. I get why guys feel the need to drive the market, a responsibility and obligation to try to get as much they can for other guys. Really, I get the whole thing. I just wish there were more guys sticking around their ballclubs, especially if they feel good about the teams they’re with. I know plenty of guys that do devote themselves to the team, and they would take less money to stay.”
It is easy to understand where Morton is coming from. But, at the end of the day, the MLB is a business and franchises operate as such.
It seems cold-hearted at times, but sometimes plans don’t include retaining players who may love the team and want to stick around.
