Greinke Reveals He Is Fascinated By Free Agency

Jon Heyman of CBSSports recently spoke with Zack Greinke, and has revealed some interesting information about Greinke’s negotiation processes while he was still being courted this past winter by the Dodgers and Rangers. Greinke told Heyman that money was the major deciding factor, but that he gave the Rangers a chance to match the Dodgers offer, but they counter-offered him instead of accepting it. The two sides were much closer than previously thought, and according to Heyman were in a dead heat at one point.

Birdman Greinke makes his Dodger Spring Training debut-Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

The difference was the Rangers wouldn’t give Greinke an opt out after year three, while the Dodgers did. Greinke told Heyman that he likes National league Baseball better than American league Baseball anyways.

"“It’s boring watching American League games to me,” Greinke said. “With the Angels we had (Mike) Trout, (Albert) Pujols, (Mark) Trumbo, (Kendrys) Morales and (Torii) Hunter, but it wasn’t as much fun as watching Milwaukee’s team. There’s much more strategy.”"

Greinke is very honest about his endeavors. He admitted to Heyman, that money is always the number one deciding factor.

Greinke is not your average former Cy Young award winning starting pitcher. He is very interested in free agency and how it works. As a matter of fact, Greinke not only met with Dodger officials himself before his six year 147 million dollar contract was finalized, but he also did all of the negotiating himself. For a while last year, Greinke was without an agent, and represented himself.

Recently though, he has hired Casey Close after opening day of last season. Greinke can still opt out of his contract with the Dodgers after three seasons. If he does he will be 32 years old, and set to hit the open market for another record contract.