# Why on earth did the Nats sign Scherzer? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 20, 2015, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-did-the-nats-sign-scherzer/710341 "2015-01-20T01:46:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-did-the-nats-sign-scherzer/710341/1 "2015-01-20T01:46:48Z")
> **[Reports: Scherzer, Nats agree on $210M deal](https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/12190547/max-scherzer-closing-new-multiyear-contract)** > > Free-agent pitcher Max Scherzer has agreed to a seven-year contract with the Washington Nationals, a source confirmed to ESPN on Sunday night. I don’t get it. The Nats already had the best rotation in MLB. How does it possible make sense to spend that much money on another pitcher? I can’t imagine this will really help them get past the 1st round of the playoffs next year. Needed some more consistent bats. Now all the money is gone! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-did-the-nats-sign-scherzer/710341/2 "2015-01-20T07:03:10Z")
Um, they now probably have the best rotation in baseball. On the other hand, they signed him to what, 7 years? Now that seems excessive. But if you’re a Nat’s fan, Gabba Gabba Hey! Note: I dig the A’s. Hey Billy, C’mon baby! ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-did-the-nats-sign-scherzer/710341/3 "2015-01-20T09:53:00Z")
Well, I think it’s pretty clear they are going to trade one of their starters, either Jordan Zimmermann, who enters free agency after next season, or Strasburg, who enters FA the year after. If they lock in Scherzer for 7 years and then let trade JZ or Stras, they at least get somethin in return. The current rumor is that they’ll trade Stras to Boston for Mookie Betts. With Betts and Escobar, they then have some wiggle room when Ian Desmond’s contract comes up. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-did-the-nats-sign-scherzer/710341/4 "2015-01-20T14:10:05Z")
> [@Cubsfan](#): > > [Max Scherzer closing in on new multiyear contract - ESPN](http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/12190547/max-scherzer-closing-new-multiyear-contract) > > I don’t get it. The Nats already had the best rotation in MLB. How does it possible make sense to spend that much money on another pitcher? I can’t imagine this will really help them get past the 1st round of the playoffs next year. > > Needed some more consistent bats. Now all the money is gone! :smack: Except that it’s not-the deal is [significantly back-deferred](http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/max-scherzer-and-when-210-million-isnt-210-million/). It backfires badly of course if we suffer deflation… ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-did-the-nats-sign-scherzer/710341/5 "2015-01-20T16:02:58Z")
I forget – are baseball contracts typically guaranteed for each year? That is, as opposed to football contracts, where a “seven-year” deal might mean two years with an option for the team to extend? The Washington Post is suggesting that JZ will be the one departing – he is seen as wanting out, and the team has not made any serious offer to him. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-did-the-nats-sign-scherzer/710341/6 "2015-01-20T16:28:16Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > I forget – are baseball contracts typically guaranteed for each year? For the most part, yes, the money is guaranteed. He can get injured and will still get paid. They can leave him off the team and he’ll still get paid. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-did-the-nats-sign-scherzer/710341/7 "2015-01-20T17:27:39Z")
Why not sign Scherzer? And why wouldn’t it help getting them past the 1st round of the playoffs? If anything, the Giants have shown that having a great ace can do wonders in the playoffs… and Strasburg isn’t necessarily the healthiest of pitchers. And they seemed to fixed their hole at 2B, so… why not? ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-did-the-nats-sign-scherzer/710341/8 "2015-01-20T17:53:58Z")
It really only makes sense if they trade one of their other starters for a big bat. Their pitching was already good, they need some offense. Even with the best staff in baseball, there are only so many games you can win 1-0. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-did-the-nats-sign-scherzer/710341/9 "2015-01-20T19:32:48Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > It really only makes sense if they trade one of their other starters for a big bat. Their pitching was already good, they need some offense. Even with the best staff in baseball, there are only so many games you can win 1-0. See the Phillies acquisition of Cliff Lee before the 2011 season. The only explanation for the Nats to still be paying Scherzer 15 million a year in 2028 is that Scott Boras is a witch doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-did-the-nats-sign-scherzer/710341/10 "2015-01-20T20:17:18Z")
So glad those of us in Detroit don’t have to stare into his voodoo eyes anymore. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-did-the-nats-sign-scherzer/710341/11 "2015-01-20T22:01:57Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > The only explanation for the Nats to still be paying Scherzer 15 million a year in 2028 is that Scott Boras is a witch doctor. Recall that money today is worth more than money in the future. Fangraphs puts this well: > **[Max Scherzer and When $210 Million Isn’t $210 Million](https://blogs.fangraphs.com/max-scherzer-and-when-210-million-isnt-210-million/)** > > Scott Boras has done it again. After months of what appeared to be mild interest from the clubs one would assume would be in the bidding for the best free agent on the market… > [@](#): > > NPV calculations are pretty simple, with the primary variable being the discount rate you apply to those future dollars. Just for the sake of argument, let’s assume Scherzer’s discount rate is 7%, roughly the expected long-term rate of return on investing in the stock market. If you take $210 million spread out over 14 years and apply a 7% discount rate, then the contract is worth about $131 million in today’s dollars. Still a lot of money, obviously, but a lot less than the $210 million figure. In addition, by 2028, $15mil per year may not be considered all that much for a veteran contract. ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-did-the-nats-sign-scherzer/710341/12 "2015-01-20T23:22:07Z")
The way this thing is structured he can go play for another team in 7 years and still be drawing $15M/yr from the Nats and pitch against them potentially. What a crazy deal. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-did-the-nats-sign-scherzer/710341/13 "2015-01-21T00:29:21Z")
If they don’t flip Zimmermann or Strasburg (2 years left, should bring a great haul) I don’t see the point. I’d actually slightly prefer keeping Zimmermann over Strasburg. Ian Desmond is probably gone after this year, so there will be a need for another middle infielder. Despite how long the Nats will be paying Scherzer, after he’s paid off the Mets will still be paying Bobby Bonilla 8 more years.