Written by Bob Nightengale at USA Today.com
For the first time in their baseball lives, they will have control.
They can choose where they’ll live.
Where they will work.
And sign a contract that will guarantee financial security for generations.
Freedom is just three months away.
It’s called free agency, and with the regular-season nearly complete, more than 100 players have the final chance to showcase their skills, polish their resume, and let future employers know they could be coming their way.
For some, this season has been spent simply validating their greatness.
For others, it’s been a nightmare, as untimely poor performance cultivates a fear that struggles are costing themselves millions.
For every Max Scherzer who earned a $210 million windfall from the Washington Nationals in 2015 after rejecting $144 million from the Detroit Tigers, there’s a Carlos Gonzalez. He was offered a lucrative four-year deal from the Colorado Rockies this spring, and now wonders if he’ll ever recoup it, batting just .228 with a .643 OPS – his worst season since his 2008 rookie year.
For every Jake Arrieta, whose early-season struggles with the Chicago Cubs gave way to five weeks of greatness, there’s Rockies catcher Jonathan Lucroy. The two-time All-Star is having the worst season of his career, hitting just .245 with four homers and a .643 OPS – 212 points lower than a year ago, when he led all catchers.
It’s a unique time of year, with teams watching, and players realizing how critical these final weeks could be to their future.
“I haven’t had the year I would like, but it’s not over yet,’’ Arrieta, the 2015 Cy Young winner, tells USA TODAY Sports. “How many people can do what I do, anyways? A handful of guys?
“But one season shouldn’t diminish what the whole package is, and what a guy can do. You can struggle for a little while. It’s going to happen. If a guy hits .200 for a while, it doesn’t mean he’s a .200 hitter.
“Everyone wants to have a career year, but if I stick to what I’m doing, I like my chances. I’ll be fine.’’
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