Marcus Semien Signs Super Agent Scott Boras, Message Sent.
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Hey Team,
Thanks for tuning in to The Fast Break.
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TL;DR: With the recent agreement between Marcus Semien and his new agent Scott Boras, today’s Newsletter is discussing Marcus Semien’s successful year with the Toronto Blue Jays, his recent signing of top-negotiator in the league Scott Boras, Boras’ track record of negotiating some of the highest contracts in the league (you’ll want to see these numbers), and how the new partnership impacts Semien’s negotiations with the Jays.
Toronto Blue Jays MLB MVP candidate Marcus Semien bet on himself and it’s going to pay off. When the former and current American League MVP candidate signed a one-year $18 million deal with Toronto last summer, he was gambling his 2021 year to see if he can attract a massive contract the following offseason.
His performance on the field this season easily solidified the criteria for him to land the deal he wants. In 2021, Semien was the definition of consistent and effective as a player. He played in all 162 games, led the major leagues in plate appearances with 724, while hitting 45 home runs, 102 runs batted in, an .873 batting average, and 15 stolen bases. According to advanced analytics, only the Astros’ infielder Carlos Correa brought more to his team among position players in the AL than Semien. Semien is also one of three Jays in the running for the Gold Glove award, and he was also voted as the Marvin Miller Man of the Year by his peers.
Enter Scott Boras.
Scott Boras
If you follow Major League Baseball, you know that Scott Boras is notoriously known as the best player agent in the league thanks to his aggressive negotiation tactics and the power he’s accumulated amongst league executives due to his role in several high-stake negotiations between players and teams. Boras and his team are known for seeking lucrative, often record-setting contracts.
Fortunately for the Jays, they’ve negotiated with Boras in 2019 when they agreed to a four-year, $80-million deal with Boras-represented starting pitcher Hyun Jin Ryu. That same summer, Boras negotiated a plethora of mega deals including in February 2019, Boras negotiated what was at the time an MLB record 13-year, $330 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies for Bryce Harper. In December 2019, Boras’ clients signed contracts totalling more than $1 billion ($1,013,500,000) in a 3-week span (yes, with a “b”). Those contracts include:
4-year, $64 million deal with the Cincinnati Reds for Mike Moustakas
7-year, $245 million deal with the Washington Nationals for Stephen Strasburg which at the time was the largest contract for a pitcher in both total value and average annual value.
A day after negotiating the Strasburg deal, Boras set another record when he landed Gerrit Cole a contract with the New York Yankees worth $324 million over 9 years. This contract became the largest ever given to a pitcher in terms of total salary and average annual value, at $36 million, beating out Strasburg.
A day later, Boras signed free agent Anthony Rendon to a 7-year, $245 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels. That brought Boras’ 3-day total of contract money negotiated to $814 million.
Later that month, Boras negotiated a 3-year, $55.5 million deal with the Chicago White Sox for Dallas Keuchel.
Then, Boras finalized left-handed Korean starting pitcher Hyun-jin Ryu’s 4-year, $80 million deal with the Jays.
Boras and Ryu signing with Jays
Boras’ negotiations have become known as the stuff of legends. He fostered the skills required honestly over many years. Boras was born and raised in California the son of a dairy farmer. He attended the University of the Pacific and played baseball there until he left for the minor leagues where he played for four years. After knee problems shortened his career, he retired and then pursued and obtained his Doctor of Pharmacy degree and then his Juris Doctor (law) degree from the University of the Pacific in the late 1970s. Shortly after graduating, Boras worked as a lawyer in a pharmaceutical defense department in Chicago.
Boras’ start as an agent came representing Danny Trillo, a former major leaguer with the Marlins. Three years later, Boras negotiated one of the largest contracts in baseball history for Bill Caudill and shortly after that Boras left his law firm job to represent players full-time.
Almost 30 years later, Boras is the president and owner of the Boras Corporation, a baseball-only sports agency that was named the most valuable single-sport agency in the world by Forbes magazine in 2014. Known for negotiating record-setting deals for amateur draft clients and MLB free agents, Boras Corporation operates out of a $20 million, 23,000-square-foot, two-story, glass-and-steel building in Newport Beach, California. Boras also owns subsidiary companies Boras Marketing and Boras Sport Training Institute focusing on memorabilia, marketing, endorsements, and strength/conditioning and sports psychology, respectively.
By signing with Boras, Semien is joining an all-star roster of clients including:
Jose Altuve (HOUS)
Cody Bellinger (LAD)
Xander Bogaerts (BOS)
Jackie Bradley Jr. (MIL)
Alex Bregman (HOUS)
Kris Bryant (SF)
Gerrit Cole (NYY)
Joey Gallo (NYY)
Bryce Harper (PHI)
Rhys Hoskins (PHI)
Eric Hosmer (SD
Dallas Keuchel (CWS)
Anthony Rendon (LAA)
Max Scherzer (LAD)
Corey Seager (LAD)
Juan Soto (WSH)
Stephen Strasburg (WSH)
Among many others.
Semien is making a power move by hiring Boras which previously might have caused the Jays front office to all but cut ties with their free-agent star. If anything, he is making his intentions extremely clear heading into free agency. He wants the money he deserves, rightfully so after his great season. This being likely his last payday at 31-years-old, Semien is cashing in.
Previously, the Jays knew that Boras’ clients were not apt to consider Toronto as a destination. That said, it is not necessarily the kiss of death for the Jays and the current front office. The Boras-Jays relationship improved when the Jays signed Ryu to the 4-year contract worth $80 million. The following summer, Boras commented in the media on the Jays signing George Springer to a 6-year, $150 million deal and approved of their aggressiveness. It’s clear that Ross Atkins and the new front office have started to develop rapport with Boras which could become valuable this summer when the Jays need it most. The Jays are a legitimate bidder, finally.
The Jays have remained constant that they have and will communicate with Semien and his representatives continually until a deal is reached. the Jays attempted to extend Semien’s contract in-season this year in hopes he would re-sign. That said, Semien wanted to wait until free agency and hear all his offers. MLB reporter Ken Rosenthal believes that Semien will be commanding a contract somewhere north of 6-years, $90 million similar to the contract signed by DJ LeMahieu last summer. Though, it’s expected Semien’s contract could be a bit higher due to LeMahieu’s being signed during the pandemic and Semien’s belief that he is truly a shortstop. With the season Semien just had, there’s no doubt he’ll be swinging for the fences with this contract, as he should.
Thank you very, very much for reading. Have a great day, and we’ll talk on Friday.
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Kendal