Looking at what Tim Lincecum is going to be making in his final two years of arbitration has me worried. What happens when Eric Hosmer hits those final two years of arbitration? The Royals cannot afford him. In all likelyhood, they are going to be forced to move him after 2015 while he still has two years of team control. Boras isn’t going to give a discount, even if they’re just buying out his arbitration years.

So my suggestion, get a discount over the next five years by letting him become a free agent in that last year. You keep him a year longer most likely, and at a lower rate than if he were to go through arbitration. That allows you to spend more on the players around him. Instead of getting prospects, you will end up getting compensation picks, which are going to be more valuable since overslot deals are essentially going away. You also remove the uncertainty of trying to estimate what he might make through arbitration, which allows you to better control you long term budget view.

Is it crazy to let him become a free agent a year earlier if it means he’s actually with the Royals a year longer at a cheaper rate?