Max Scherzer's agent laughs off idea Dodgers, Angels can't afford ace

Max Scherzer’s agent laughs off idea Dodgers, Angels can’t afford ace

Detroit's Max Scherzer faces the Dodgers on July 9. He held the Dodgers to one run on four hits over seven innings while collecting his 11th win of the season. Scherzer had seven strikeouts while issuing only one walk.

Staff Writer

Dec. 10, 2014 4:54 PM PT

The Dodgers could use a starting pitcher. The Angels really could use a starting pitcher.

The Dodgers would like to cut back on their payroll. The Angels would like to stay beneath the luxury-tax threshold.

And Scott Boras – the agent for the best available free-agent starter, Max Scherzer – wonders why. Boras, who has season tickets for the Dodgers and Angels, notes that both teams have struck gold in ticket sales and television contracts.

“The fans in L.A. have rewarded both franchises tremendously,” Boras said Wednesday at baseball’s winter meetings. “Both franchises have been rewarded with monstrous local TV contracts. So everything you could have hoped to happen with the two new ownerships – with both the Dodgers and Angels – has happened.

“They’re great places to go watch ballgames. They’re great places to play. And, certainly, we can say that in MLB, if there are two franchises that have choice exponentials before them, and fans that deserve those choices to be exercised, both of them are in L.A.”

Scherzer last spring declined a $144-million contract extension from the Detroit Tigers. Boras said Wednesday the deal could have been worth as much as $160 million.

The asking price now is believed to be $200 million.

Boras laughed at the idea that resources might be limited for the local teams.

“Certainly not in Southern California,” he said. “No.”