Matt Sosnick is a good friend of this blog. He was a subject of an Interview with the Agent in April of 2007, and in March 2009, he answered your questions regarding draft expectations, how to make contacts with people in the sports agent business, and recruiting tactics. Wedged in between, in 2008, Sosnick spoke to a website titled, “It’s About The Money, Stupid.” Recently, Sosnick once again answered questions presented by the author of the website, which now seems to be a part of some ESPN SweetSpot Network.
Sosnick has certainly been on a roll as of late.
- He brokered a 4-year, $39 million deal between Josh Johnson and the Florida Marlins, after the Marlins initially refused to sign off on a 4-year term.
- He advised Jesse Biddle, a very good high school pitcher who was drafted 27th overall by the Philadelphia Phillies.
- He recently put together nice deals for Jay Bruce and Ricky Nolasco (3 years, $26.5 million).
Here are the first two Q&A’s from “It’s About The Money, Stupid.”
IIATMS: Jay Bruce is clearly one of MLB’s rising young stars. What’s your thoughts on him locking up a multi-year deal now when he could very easily earn a great deal more through the arbitration process and into free agency? Who leads this process, you or the player?
Matt Sosnick: When a player has ability that merits a multi-year deal, we sit down with him to discuss the pros and cons. The nature of these deals is that the player almost always leaves some money on the table in exchange for the security of a guarantee. Jay is a pretty conservative guy, so in his case he was able to get a guaranteed deal for more than he could ever spend, while still being young enough (30) when the deal expires to obtain one or two more big contracts. Ultimately it is the player’s decision. Our role is to inform him of what he would make if he went year-to-year, what the risks are, and how much we can get him on a multi-year so that he can make an educated decision.
IIATMS: You and your firm have been proponents of these pre-free agency extenstions. Do you recommend this course for all of your players?
MS: Our general philosophy is that if a player can get an early multi-year contract that guarantees him enough money to be set for life, he needs to at least consider it. Baseball careers can be cut short in the blink of an eye, and most players understand that. It’s not so much a matter of what we recommend as a matter of presenting the player with his various options and letting him make an informed decision.
