Why Cody Ross is Making Scot Hariston a Jerk

Look at that face. How can you say 'you're not worth $10 million' to that face?

Scot Hariston has a very solid year for a team that desperately needed the right handed power.

G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS

134

398

377

52

99

25

3

20

57

8

2

19

83

.263

.299

.504

.803

By playing 134 games and compiling 20 home runs with an average of .263, there is strong evidence for a salary upgrade. With the Mets, his contract was $1.1 million the past two years. Before that, most he made was $2.5 million with the Padres in 2010.  I think he deserves at least that, but NOT the salary of a comparable player, Cody Ross, whose numbers for 2012 are as follows:

G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS

130

528

476

70

127

34

1

22

81

2

3

42

129

.267

.326

.481

.807

The numbers are similar, expect for one odd inconsistency that inflated Ross's stats.  Ross play 4 less games than Hariston, but managed over 100 more plate appearances and at-bats.

The Diamondbacks decided to screw over the Mets by giving Cody Ross $25 million over the next three years with a club option for 2016 that could bring the contract up to $34.5 million.  Is he worth that much? Not quite. Does it affect the value of Hariston? It shouldn't, but it will.

Look at me! I got the BIG money!

From 2006 (the first year playing a substantial number of games) to 2012, Ross has averaged:
136 games, 26 doubles, 17 home runs, 64 RBIs, .266 BA, and a .330 OBP.  Those are solid numbers. Now let's look at Hariston from 2004 and then 2007-2012. (he barely played in 2005-2006)

Hariston averaged 107 games, 17 doubles, 14 home runs, 40 RBIs, .245 BA, and a .303 OBP.

AND HE WANTS A COMPARABLE CONTRACT??????

Where's MY money!

I'm sorry, but the numbers speak for themselves. He has historically been inferior to Ross every way you slice the cake. Can he be expected to reproduce those numbers? Well first off, those numbers were not as good as they appear.  He had more than 70 at-bats in a month only twice in 2012 (David Wright, by comparison, had more than 70 at-bats every month).  In July with 74 at-bats Hariston his .297, but in September with 73 at-bats Hariston hit .192.  Yes, everyday players have ups and downs over the course of a season, but for someone who has never been an everyday player (and at 32 is in his prime looking downward), the risk is too great to offer almost $7-$10 million a year.

But thanks to those rattlesnakes, Hariston believes he deserves $$$$$ because Cody Ross got $$$$$.

The Mets NEED to re-sign Hariston to prevent themselves from being laughable next year, but they shouldn't (and frankly couldn't) pay more than a few million for 1 or 2 years.  If he can show himself as an everyday player, then he deserves more moola....Not yet.