Golden spike for ballplayers

Let's see, about $136 million (over eight years) went to 40-40 star Alfonso Soriano, who has never really mastered a position. Another $100 million went to first baseman/left fielder Carlos Lee, who has never reached a .900 OPS in his career and looks like a weight problem.

Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez received a five-year, $75 million reworking of his deal after a poor start to the 2006 season. Leadoff man Juan Pierre, with a .330 on-base percentage last season, landed a five-year, $44 million deal with the Dodgers.

There's more.

Gary Sheffield was dealt from the Yankees to the Tigers, had his $13 million option ripped up, and was given a brand-new, two-year, $28 million deal coming off a serious wrist injury that limited him to 39 games in '06.

Randy Wolf, who came back from Tommy John surgery after the All-Star break and started just 25 games the past two years for the Phillies, got a one-year, $8 million deal from the Dodgers.

Adam Eaton, who has never won more than 11 games in a season, got three years and $24.5 million from Philadelphia.

Have we mentioned the Orioles?

Lefty reliever Jamie Walker pitched well for the Tigers last season, so the Orioles threw $12 million over three years at him. Not that they stopped there. Danys Baez (5-6, 9 saves and a 4.53 ERA for the Braves and Dodgers) retrieved $19 million over three years to be Chris Ray's setup man.

The Red Sox shocked the world with a $51.1 million posting fee on Seibu Lions starting pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. They're about to complete a shocking five-year, $70 million deal for J.D. Drew.

Even more shocking is the Yankees' $26 million posting bid on lefty Kei Igawa, the Hanshin Tigers pitcher who some believe has declined.

"The market has definitely spiked," said Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein, who will be in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., this week for baseball's winter meetings. "There's no doubt about it.

"Each signing is a data point and eventually a trend develops. And it's clear that there's a lot of available money to be spent and probably more holes on teams than there are players that can fill them. And the supply-demand dynamic has created a spike in the marketplace."

This isn't the first time this story of outrage and surprise has been written. Not the first time the market has "spiked."

The consensus among most baseball officials is that the new basic agreement has signaled optimism for increased revenues. There are new TV deals, new revenue streams in place. Last year, revenues reached $5.2 billion , with more to come in '07.

The last time the market spiked this way in the offseason was before the 2001 season.

That's when Alex Rodriguez got his 10-year, $252 million deal with the Rangers to leave Seattle. That's when the Red Sox lost out on Mike Mussina, who signed a five-year, $89.5 million deal with the Yankees. The Sox countered with an eight-year, $160 million deal for Manny Ramírez they've since tried to get out from under.

That winter, Derek Jeter reupped for 10 years at $189 million. Darren Dreifort got five years, $55 million. Denny Neagle received a five-year, $51 million deal. Rick Reed was three years at $21.75 million. Kevin Appier worked out a four-year, $42 million contract. Charles Johnson got $35 million over five years. The other Alex Gonzalez got five years at $20 million.

"It's been this way in the 22 years I've been with the Players Association," said Gene Orza, chief operating officer of the MLBPA. "Salaries are a function of team revenues. If there's an X percentage of spike in salaries, then that means that clubs are earning that percentage more in revenues."

Before all is said and done -- if Jason Schmidt gets more than the $45 million for three years on the table from the Cubs, Barry Zito $75 million or more for five years -- this one might take the cake.

"It's something that you try to predict," Epstein said. "We recognized that once the new collective bargaining agreement was struck that there was a very good chance there would be this spike, and you try to anticipate the market as best as you possibly can and not get caught behind.

"I don't know that we're back to the days of 2000-01, per se. With the new CBA, there's a great deal of stability and a great deal of prosperity in the game. Certainly it seems that both teams and players are doing well in the game right now. It's a good thing. The new CBA has been certainly good for the game."

GMs speak about payroll flexibility and not getting tied into multiyear deals, but then Soriano gets eight years and Lee six. Both players turned 30 this year.

When the Red Sox don't make the playoffs and their fan base is going wild, you can bet money will be thrown around. The Orioles tried the spending approach a few years ago and spent it on all the wrong people. Then they went the farm system route, and that landed them a few good young players, but they were still a second-division team. So now they're spending again.

It seems the Giants will do anything to avoid bringing back Barry Bonds, including spending a ton on anyone else. The Dodgers, Padres, Phillies, Mets, White Sox, Mariners, Angels, and even the Cubs could still be in the market for big signings.

"Some of the individual signings surprise, some because they're so much and others surprise because they're so low," said Orza.

"But I always go back to what a former Red Sox general manager once said to me: 'Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. If a player garners the attention of that team, then to them he's a beautiful player. That player might not be so beautiful to another team.' "

Meanwhile, outfielders Andruw Jones, Torii Hunter, Vernon Wells, and Ichiro Suzuki are waiting their turn next year, when they become free agents. They could make this year's money look like pocket change, commanding anywhere from $14 million to $18 million per year.

"It's the same for us every year," said Minnesota GM Terry Ryan. "We usually don't participate in November. It's just the way we've done it. I think it's served us well.

"As for Torii, I think a lot of people thought he'd be out there this offseason, but we found a way to keep one of our own. I don't know how we're going to approach Torii's situation for the future yet, but we have some time to figure it out."

With Scott Boras representing Jones, he probably won't stay in Atlanta, which usually doesn't get caught in the wave of huge contracts. Jones will likely be the most sought after of the center fielders, given his tremendous defensive ability and power.

Toronto general manager J.P. Ricciardi is trying to keep Wells in Toronto. "I'm not going to be pressured into a trade," Ricciardi said. "We have the year to work something out. We've always said we'd like to see Vernon stay in Toronto."

While the Blue Jays haven't gotten crazy with the money, they do have it to give. But Wells may be intent on playing close to his Arlington, Texas, home.

Hunter likely will price himself out of Minnesota, another frugal team, and Ichiro will remain in Seattle only if the Mariners show they're going to be contenders.

But these days, it seems, no one takes less to go someplace to win. You take all you can.

While Phase I produced a tidal wave of deals, Phase II begins this week. Hold on for the tsunami.