Please help...

Why is $18 mil/yr good for Torii Hunter and Andrew Jones, as most media are hailing it, yet $12 mil/yr is bad for Jose Guillen?

Jones - .262/.363/.531, 561 AB, 41 HR, 127K
Hunter - .278/.336/.490, 557 AB, 31 HR, 108K
Guillen - .290/.353/.460, 593 AB, 23 HR, 118K

This is Jones and Hunter from 2006 and Guillen from 2007. These are pretty much the top of the numbers you are going to get from Jones or Hunter, I would suspect, in 2008, as they represent either their top season or second best season stat wise in the pros.

The stat line I have for Guillen is his worst stat line in the last five years (taking out 2006 where he was injured and absolutely god awful). He is easily comparable to Hunter offensively, and while I don't want to fathom a guess about Andrew Jones, I honestly don't see him throwing up a .900 OPS in 2008. True, he isn't the defensive OF either of these guys are, but I'm not sure the value is that significant.

Compared to both the Jones and Hunter signings, I think Kansas City is getting an value out of Guillen for three years. Of course, Seattle could have kept him for $9M this season but declined his club option, so really, value is all relative at this point.