How Much Is Matt Cain Worth?

Matt Cain is too valuable to the Giants franchise to let him get away, right?

The plan was to wrap up all the contract negotiations by Opening Day (April 6), but the chance of both sides coming to an agreement by that soft deadline seems remote. Agent Rick Landrum told John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle that Cain's side will “never give up hope.”

So let's take a look at the 27-year-old right-hander and his place in the Giants past and future. Before 2005 Baseball America listed Cain as the #13 prospect in baseball. He has four pitches in his repertoire: a 90+ mph fastball, curveball, slider and the change-up. When he was called up he was the second youngest pitcher in the majors, and today he is the longest tenured player on the Giants squad.

Manager Felipe Alou made Cain the 4^th starter in 2006 and he has been consistently in the rotation ever since. After seven years with the Giants, Cain has posted 1085 strikeouts with an ERA of 5.31. Overall, Cain's numbers have suffered by a lack of run support, but he has never complained about it.

Cain is a two-time All-Star (2009, 2011) and, of course, a World Series champion in 2010. In 2009 Cain was honored with the Willie Mac Award which is voted on by the players and coaching staff of the Giants to the player who most exemplifies that special spirit of teamwork and leadership both inside and outside of the clubhouse. Cain is also the Giants representative to the Players Association.

But how does all that translate into cash? Cain's rookie year he made $328,000. That salary continued to escalate. In 2010 he made $4.5 million, 2011 saw Cain take $7.3 million, and in 2012 Cain is slated to make $15 million. Not exactly pocket change, but also not even in the top ten pitcher salaries in professional baseball.

According to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com Cain is seeking a nine-figure guarantee. You have to wonder how far north of nine figures they are thinking. The Giants offer was reportedly not even close to $100 million.

Seriously?

Come on Giants! Zito has $108 million guaranteed, surely Cain is worth Zito money. Cliff Lee is promised $132 million and C.C. Sabathia is guaranteed $166 million in their contracts, respectively. So where does Matt Cain fit in? And perhaps more importantly, how far can the Giants go without him?

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1118709-how-much-is-matt-cain-worth

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