If MLBTradeRumors agency database is correct, Ozzie Albies agent is Dave Meter. The same individual that is Craig Kimbrel's agent. It's interesting how Meter would hold out Kimbrel and make such demands for a closer, and on the other hand be so willing to sign a deal like this for Albies. I don't know if the "he's going to lose the player" theory has any weight...considering the criticism he's received so far for this deal...that surely won't help his reputation among players. If the Kimbrel situation really sours (doesn't sign this year and the market only determines he's worth something like 3 years, 42 million next off-season), Meter will look really bad.

I thought the Acuna deal would have been pretty reasonable for both sides if not for those last two option years. But when going through arbitration, offense is king. Acuna has been a .930 OPS player so far. Albies had a .305 OBP in his one full season and has been a .774 OPS player so far. Overall he's been really good for a second baseman (offense and defense), and at only 22 there is a strong chance that he will become much, much better, but I wouldn't project him into the probable superstar category that I would with Acuna.

I would project Albies to earn about 33 million in those three arbitration years. So his earnings the next five years would be something like 0.6 + 0.6 + 8 + 11 + 14 = 34.2 million. Giving the team a discount in exchange for security, let's say 70% of his projected earnings, put a reasonable buy figure for those five years at 0.6 + 0.6 + 5.6 + 7.7 + 9.8 = 24.3 million. IMO that would be a fair figure for 2019-2023 seasons. With this deal, Albies will only earn 17 million over this timeframe, less than half of what I would guess his future earning would be, and only 70% of what I figure a fair discounted price would be. Then it gets into the lost free agent years which really makes this a ridiculous deal.

If I were Albies agent I would have had no problem selling the Braves the first year of free agency at what could be a pretty good discount (say 12 million) just to get the client the financial security. But there is no way I would have sold off more than one year of free agency. Arbitration years and pre-arby years at discount = 24.3 million + 12 million free agent year puts it at 6 years, 36.3 million and that's as low as I would have gone. This could turn into a 9 year, 45 million deal which is obviously horrible if Albies turns into a 15+ million AAV player, because as I see it, his agent sold off those 15+ million seasons for a roughly 3 million AAV.