The Phillies had several reasons for trading Hunter Pence to the Giants at last seasons deadline.
They were going nowhere in 2012 and wanted to re-stock a farm system that traded away 14 prospects for Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Pence in the previous four years.
They sought to get under the luxury tax threshold of 178 million, and did so by unloading the remaining portions of the 2012 salaries for Pence, Shane Victorino and Joe Blanton.
But a third part of the equation came into play Friday when the Giants and Pence avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year deal: Pence probably isnt worth the money he would make in 2013 or beyond.
The Giants will pay Pence 13.8 million next season. It was the largest salary paid to an arbitration-eligible player this offseason. And it could be a precursor to a deal next winter in between the one Nick Swisher received from the Indians (four years, 56 million) and what the Braves gave B.J. Upton (five years, 75 million).
To illustrate how much Pence will make next season, consider the following facts:
Its the 13th-highest annual average value for any active major-league outfielder, despite Pence hitting .253 with a mediocre .743 OPS last season. Based on WAR, Pence was the 50th-most valuable outfielder last season.
MLB
It is also the 25th-highest annual average value ever for an outfielder. Pence has been worth 13.8 WAR the last four seasons, which is 22nd in baseball.
Only three NFL players last season had a base salary higher than Pences 13.8 million: Peyton Manning (18 million), Dwight Freeney (14.035 million) and Elvis Dumervil (14 million). Pence will make more next season than Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Larry Fitzgerald, Eli Manning, Julius Peppers and all but six NFL players, according to Spotrac.com. Really illustrates the difference in salaries between sports.
The Phillies did themselves a service by avoiding paying Pence, who will be compensated handsomely over the next five years simply because of a lack of productive corner outfielders. By also acquiring their potential catcher of the future in Tommy Joseph and staying away from the 22.5 percent tax on every dollar over the luxury tax threshold, the Pence trade looks like a clear win for the Phillies.
Unless, of course, you travel far enough back in time to consider Pence originally cost the Phils two potential everyday major-leaguers in Jonathan Singleton and Domingo Santana. To that, wed say hindsight has the vision of Ted Williams and at the time Pence looked like the final piece to a team that won the most regular-season games in Phillies history.