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Re: Question about the 1st Pujols deal
Posted: 26 Sep 2025 09:12 am
by rockondlouie
Didn't E. Longoria get one of the earliest LT deals too?
Re: Question about the 1st Pujols deal
Posted: 26 Sep 2025 10:42 am
by lordoffatness
Spotrac has separate web pages showing historical pre-arbitration and arbitration extensions. Pujols was extended in February 2004 after his last pre-arb season so it's classified as an arbitration extension. You can sort by year. The notable arbitration extensions before Pujols were:
Jeter signed in 2001, 10 years $189 million (signed in last year of arbitration)
Todd Helton signed in 2004, 9 years $141 million (signed in last year of arbitration, he also had a 4 year pre-arb extension signed in 1999)
Ichiro signed in 2004, 4 years $44 million (I just mention this one because he was in the same rookie class as Pujols.
After Pujols the next $100+ million arbitration extension was Miguel Cabrera in 2008. 8 years $152 million
Pre-arbitration extensions:
https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/pre-arbitration/extensions
Arbitration extensions:
https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/arbitration/extensions
Re: Question about the 1st Pujols deal
Posted: 26 Sep 2025 10:45 am
by lordoffatness
rockondlouie wrote: ↑26 Sep 2025 09:12 am
Didn't E. Longoria get one of the earliest LT deals too?
He signed a 6 year, $17.5 million contract in April 2008 with 24 days of service time.
https://www.mlb.com/news/earliest-contr ... c269677352
Re: Question about the 1st Pujols deal
Posted: 26 Sep 2025 10:52 am
by rockondlouie
Thx fats
So well after Albert.
Re: Question about the 1st Pujols deal
Posted: 26 Sep 2025 10:53 am
by Galatians221jb1
ScotchMIrish wrote: ↑25 Sep 2025 14:25 pm
First ever multi-year might have been Babe Ruth in 1930. 2 years for $160,000.
He made more than President Hoover. When told that he said “I had a better year”. (NOT POLITICAL)
Re: Question about the 1st Pujols deal
Posted: 26 Sep 2025 11:13 am
by imadangman
rockondlouie wrote: ↑26 Sep 2025 10:52 am
Thx fats
So well after Albert.
Well that Longoria one sure meets the definition of cutting edge doesn't it.
But given the info we have from lordoffatness and others, we can say the Pujols real was pretty special at the time. I would not stretch it to call Jocketty an "innovator" necessarily but I would say it was very forward thinking.
Re: Question about the 1st Pujols deal
Posted: 26 Sep 2025 11:17 am
by rockondlouie
imadangman wrote: ↑26 Sep 2025 11:13 am
rockondlouie wrote: ↑26 Sep 2025 10:52 am
Thx fats
So well after Albert.
Well that Longoria one sure meets the definition of cutting edge doesn't it.
But given the info we have from lordoffatness and others, we can say the Pujols real was pretty special at the time. I would not stretch it to call Jocketty an "innovator" necessarily but I would say it was very forward thinking.
And a brilliant move!
Re: Question about the 1st Pujols deal
Posted: 26 Sep 2025 12:01 pm
by ScotchMIrish
Galatians221jb1 wrote: ↑26 Sep 2025 10:53 am
ScotchMIrish wrote: ↑25 Sep 2025 14:25 pm
First ever multi-year might have been Babe Ruth in 1930. 2 years for $160,000.
He made more than President Hoover. When told that he said “I had a better year”. (NOT POLITICAL)
My grandfather had nothing good to say about Hoover.
Re: Question about the 1st Pujols deal
Posted: 26 Sep 2025 12:13 pm
by Quincy Varnish
imadangman wrote: ↑25 Sep 2025 14:03 pm
I had wondered about this and maybe did a little research but not enough to answer for sure.
Was the pre-2004 Pujols extension the 1st of its type? It came before any of the massive, long-term pre-arb extensions we commonly see today.
Is there an example before Pujols of a player with 3 years of service time (or earlier) receiving an extension of 7 years or more?
That extension might have been the single best move of Jocketty's GM tenure.
Not a seven year deal, but Sandy Alomar got a three year extension with an option after his second season. 1992
Knoblauch signed a 5-year deal the same year, after only one season.