Mets Restructure Henry Blanco's Contract

Ken Davidoff dishes on the Mets' restructuring of Henry Blanco's contract. Overall, the guaranteed portion has dropped from $1.45 million to $750k. He can make up the other $700k via easily-attained roster bonuses.

Just by keeping the shoulder healthy, he will get back up to the initially agreed upon figure of $1.45 million. The breakdown is as such: $5,000 each for days 1 through 80 on the roster, $4,500 each for days 81 through 135 and $3,500 each for days 136 through 150.

The emphasis above is mine. As Davidoff goes on to explain, the roster incentives only protect the Mets against a potential shoulder injury. Any time Blanco spends on the disabled list due to a non-shoulder injury counts towards his roster bonuses. At all events, Blanco will earn the full original $1.45 million as long as his shoulder is healthy.

In exchange for reducing the guaranteed portion of the contract the Mets agreed to raise the total possible value of the deal to $2.225 million, though the difference is made up for by tough-to-attain bonuses, as Davidoff explains.

$50,000 each for starting 60, 65, 70, 75 and 80 games. $75,000 each for starting 85, 90, 95 and 100 games. $50,000 for winning the Most Valuable Player award, with $25,000 for second place and $10,000 for third. $25,000 for League Championship Series MVP. $50,000 for World Series MVP. $25,000 each for the Gold Glove or Silver Slugger award. $50,000 for making the All-Star Game.

So basically the deal just protects the Mets a bit. If Blanco starts even 60 games the Mets are probably in trouble for reasons that have nothing to do with Henry Blanco.

about 2 years ago Eric Simon 16 comments 0 recs |

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If Henry Blanco wins World Series MVP

he deserves way more than $50,000 in my opinion. Underdogs FTW!

by deadspy3 on Dec 10, 2009 10:38 AM EST reply actions

Hah, what about regular season MVP?

by boom_roasted on Dec 10, 2009 12:37 PM EST up reply actions

Well, that's more plausible

since getting to the WS seems kind of impossible right now. Unless Henry Blanco has an amazing first half, is traded for Smoak or Strasburg or someone, and takes his new team to the WS while the Mets end up winning long term. Yeah, that’s what I’m going to dream of.

by deadspy3 on Dec 10, 2009 2:53 PM EST up reply actions

Huh? I hope you're joking.

The Mets making it to the World Series is in no way impossible. The team has 4 legit superstars.

The odds of the Mets making it to the World Series and then Henry Blanco winning the series MVP award are astronomically better than Blanco the regular season MVP. According to Bodog, the Mets have a 15/1 chance of winning the World Series (5th in the NL, behind the Phillies, Cardinals, Dodgers, and Cubs). In a short sample size of games, there is much more variability in results than over the course of a long 162 game season. Thus, it is possible that a backup player could be forced into a starting role and end up with some big hits in high leverage situations. Hell, Matsui won the 2009 award despite not being able to start the 3 games in Philadelphia.

The odds of Blanco winning the regular season MVP are just about infinity/1.

You’re skepticism about the Mets’ chances next year is troubling. Right now, they are probably about an 80-something win team. Who knows what could happen with free agency, trades, and surprise performances (i.e. Jose Valentin 2006)? I don’t like their chances with Omar as GM, but who knows what could happen?

by boom_roasted on Dec 10, 2009 5:28 PM EST up reply actions

How are the Braves no ahead of us?

I’m all for rooting for my favorite team and all, but as the team looks at this exact second, in no way are we contenders. Our pitching rotation consists of Santana, and then four question marks- which Pelfrey are we going to see, can Maine stay healthy, what the fuck is with Perez, and who’s our fifth starter?

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Dec 10, 2009 10:14 PM EST up reply actions

*not

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Dec 10, 2009 10:14 PM EST up reply actions

I wouldnt say they're definitely ahead of us

But I think we could easily end up anywhere between first and 3rd in our division just depending on lucky breaks. And I don’t think that should be considered good enough.

by Gina on Dec 10, 2009 10:34 PM EST up reply actions

Really, my scepticism is troubling?

I think even with Bay and one mid level pitcher, which is about as ‘all-in’ as it looks Omar can go, they would limp to around 85 wins and distant second place. Maybe. Holliday, Sheets and Pineiro and I could maybe see 90 wins, a playoff chase and a good chance in a short series. Again, maybe. But I don’t see Omar doing that. Also, while I agree with you about short series crapshoots, it’s not a total lottery.

by deadspy3 on Dec 11, 2009 8:50 AM EST up reply actions

I'd disagree with that alot

I’d say if we didn’t add anyone we’d probably still be an 83-85 win team. I think even just adding Bay and a mid-level pitcher would get us to 90 wins.

by Gina on Dec 12, 2009 2:25 PM EST up reply actions

I mean, I hope that is true

I just feel like it won’t happen

by deadspy3 on Dec 12, 2009 7:59 PM EST up reply actions

In the words of Seth Meyer (or Amy Poehler, if you prefer)

Really, Henry Blanco? You think you have a shot at winning the National League MVP? Really? Really?

by englishgrey on Dec 10, 2009 10:44 AM EST reply actions

clearly these meetings

you know what I'm sayin' ?

by fxcarden on Dec 10, 2009 11:09 AM EST via mobile reply actions

(have been a great success)

you know what I'm sayin' ?

by fxcarden on Dec 10, 2009 12:02 PM EST up reply actions

Overall, Blanco is going to make less (there's no way that all of those bonuses are going to be met)

That’s a positive.

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Dec 10, 2009 12:17 PM EST reply actions

Not really

If he doesn’t miss any time with a shoulder injury he’ll make exactly the same $1.45 he would have made prior to the restructuring.

by Eric Simon on Dec 10, 2009 1:24 PM EST up reply actions

Doing the math...

Let’s see…Carte blanche, he’ll be making $750,000. Assuming he’s on the roster for the entire season as our back-up catcher, he’ll make [($5,000 × 80) + ($4,500 × 54) + ($3,500 × 14)], which comes out to be $692,000. Added to the initial $750,000, that’s $1,442,000. Yup, basically what we had given him initially.

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Dec 10, 2009 3:18 PM EST up reply actions