Harden and Heilman Claimed on Waivers

[Kid]

<!--quoteo(post=60947:date=Sep 1 2009, 03:24 PM:name=Coldneck)-->QUOTE (Coldneck @ Sep 1 2009, 03:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=60944:date=Sep 1 2009, 03:14 PM:name=Kid)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Kid @ Sep 1 2009, 03:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=60943:date=Sep 1 2009, 03:12 PM:name=Coldneck)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Coldneck @ Sep 1 2009, 03:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Can someone please answer this question. If Zambrano were a free agent, and could sign with any team today, would his contract equal 4 yr / $72M? Because that is basically the argument we are having. I think that answer is no.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
That's a false analogy. If he signed a new contract this offseason, he might not get 4/72, but I think he very well might. That doesn't mean that a team, or numerous teams, wouldn't take on his contract with that left on it.
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There has to be a GM that thinks Z is worth 4 yr/ 72M for him to be claimed. I don't think there is one out there. Evidently you think there are lots og GMs that feel that way. That is the only point I am trying to make with my analogy.
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There's a difference between whether the market for him would reach X amount in free agency (and again, I tend to think it would), vs. whether a team would make a waiver claim. Let's say that there's a single GM who could claim him that thinks he's worth it. That GM wouldn't need to bid so high in free agency if he's the only one who puts that value on Z. He could get him for less. Free agency bids are designed to bid high enough to get a player, not necessarily to match his value. That same GM who wouldn't need to bid as high in free agency would presumably be willing to put a waiver claim if he thinks he's worth it.