Frustrating free agent market leads Jonny Gomes to Japan
Veteran outfielder Jonny Gomes was among the many veteran free agents impacted by the slow developing free agent market this winter.
That was until Wednesday, when he decided he couldn’t wait any longer.
According to a Ken Rosenthal report, Gomes will be leaving MLB all together after agreeing to a one-year, $2 million contract with the Rakuten Golden Eagles in Japan,
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In signing with Rakuten, Gomes leaves behind the country where he won championships in three different leagues, including two World Series titles over the past three seasons, and the country he’s called home his entire life and enjoyed almost all of his success in baseball. It wasn’t an easy decision for Gomes, but it also allows him to leave behind the frustration that seemed to overwhelm him all winter and has pretty much defined the free agency process on the players side.
It’s a tough, almost unpredictable terrain out there right now. Look no further than the numerous notable free agents who remain available on Feb. 3 for proof of its glacial pace. Dexter Fowler, Ian Desmond and Yovani Gallardo are among the bigger names still looking for a place to call home in 2016, and until some of those dominoes start to fall it’ll be tough for guys like Gomes to find their place.
“This is not how it’s supposed to be,” Gomes told Rosenthal, who filed an exclusive report on Gomes’ decision for Fox Sports. “It seems like the players are getting bullied. It’s February. These people are human beings. They have families. They’ve got to make plans.
“I’m not trying to get back at baseball by any means. But I’m not just going to hang around. What has changed since the end of September? It’s not like a guy is hot right now or in a slump.”
Bullied might be a pretty strong term, but it’s clear the players don’t have a lot of leverage right now.
One major component that seems to be working against free agents is the qualifying-offer system, which requires the signing team to part with a draft pick to sign a player who turned down the qualifying offer. With several teams valuing those draft picks now more than ever, only the very elite free agents are deemed worthy of such sacrifice.
A guy like Dexter Fowler, who teams might not want to commit to long-term, might be better served to ink a short-term deal and hope his value increases with a weaker free agent class next winter. But who wants to give up that draft pick for one or two years? Very few, which is why the Cubs, Fowler’s employer last season, remain in the mix to bring him back. Only they can sign Fowler without losing the draft pick, so it’s possible they’re the only team who can give him what he needs.
Granted, not too many people are going to feel bad for these well-paid professional athletes. Especially when an option like playing in Japan exists when MLB’s doors seem to be closed. But Gomes’ case does show how deep the impact of a slowed down market can go, and perhaps serves as the best evidence that something in the system needs to change to keep things moving.
That’s something that should be addressed when CBA talks open later this year.
In the meantime, Gomes is determined to make the best of his next venture.
However, Gomes said that part of the appeal of playing in Japan is that it will add to the education of his children — Zoe, 6, Colt, 5, and Capri, 3. He said that his wife, Kristi, was “unreal for being on board and letting me continue my baseball degree.”
Gomes spoke of “jam-packing” his resume, collecting experiences to help him prepare for a future as a coach, manager or broadcaster. But he is not ruling out playing in the majors again.
“This isn’t a farewell tour. This isn’t like my last year,” Gomes said. “I have no plans of hanging it up. I can always come back or — if I take off over there — finish my career there.”
At 35, there should be no doubt that Gomes can still make an impact. Now though, he should be more motivated than ever to prove it.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813
