Steve Phillips showed many over the weekend why he’s no longer a general manager.
Phillips, who served as the New York Mets’ GM from 1997-2003 and then worked as a baseball analyst for ESPN from 2005-09 until his dismissal, expressed on The Dan Patrick Show last week that he would not sign Shohei Ohtani.
“So, here’s the thing, I wouldn’t sign him,” Phillips said when asked about the downside of signing the two-way superstar. “I wouldn’t sign him. He’s great, but I think the risk is so significant in him being a two-way player. As I said, I think his body started to reject the notion of being a two-way player. And think about this: he just had his second elbow procedure; I don’t know if it’s Tommy John or not. But he’s the most protected starting pitcher in baseball…and his elbow still broke down — for the second time. So what it tells us is that even being as protected as he was, he broke down, so how much more can I protect him?”
“I wouldn’t sign him. He’s great, but I think the risk is so significant in him being a two-way player.”
–@StevePhillipsGM on Shohei Ohtani pic.twitter.com/QnmnaL4z3C
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) December 8, 2023
Luckily for Phillips, he doesn’t have to worry about signing Ohtani. And because the two-way superstar’s contract includes “unprecedented deferrals,” according to MLB.com — which was Ohtani’s idea — Phillips may no longer have to worry about being affiliated with the most infamous deferrals in MLB history.
At least, that’s what he thinks.
When Phillips was in charge of the New York Mets front office, he acquired slugger Bobby Bonilla in a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers. After a lackluster 1999 season, the Mets released Bonilla but still owed him $5.9 million of his remaining salary. Instead of paying him upfront, Bonilla and his agent offered the Mets to defer his payments for a decade — with 8 percent interest — and spread those from 2011-35.
Even though the Steve Cohen-owned Mets have to continue to cut a check to Bonilla for over the better part of a decade, Phillips, the host of Leadoff Spot on MLB Network Radio and a baseball insider for TSN and MLB Network, took to X to rejoice over Ohtani’s contract with the Dodgers.
“I want to clarify reports that the @Dodgers consulted with me before giving all of the deferred comp to Shohei Ohtani. They did not. But I am sure glad they did it because it takes me off the hook for Bobby Bonilla,” he wrote.
I want to clarify reports that the @Dodgers consulted with me before giving all of the deferred comp to Shohei Ohtani. They did not. But I am sure glad they did it, because it takes me off the hook for Bobby Bonilla. July 1, 2024 just got way better for me.
— Steve Phillips (@StevePhillipsGM) December 11, 2023
As mentioned above, Ohtani’s 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers includes “unprecedented deferrals.” While those figures are currently unknown, and Ohtani is likely to be paid well beyond 2035, we are not sure that this absolves Phillips and takes him “off the hook” for Bonilla.
After all, Ohtani is one of the greatest players this sport has ever seen, if not the greatest, and if he helps the Dodgers win a championship, this will be a moot point. It’s not like Bonilla was heralded as one of the best players ever to reach the free agency market. He put together a career-worst season in ’99 and was an albatross that the Mets wanted to rid themselves of.
Phillips’ comments on Dan Patrick’s show bring attention to the difficulties of managing player contracts and the rising cost of top talent in baseball. Although he’s not currently in a decision-making position, we can assume he wouldn’t have recommended the Dodgers defer any money, specifically to Ohtani. However, Ohtani chose this approach to help the Dodgers remain financially flexible for the foreseeable future while still remaining competitive in the marketplace.
At the same time, while the Ohtani contract may offer some respite for Phillips compared to the Bonilla deal, his legacy in baseball remains intertwined with the infamous financial decision that’s become known as “Bobby Bonilla Day.”
[Dan Patrick Show, Steve Phillips]
