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I've been resisting the urge to launch a rant about the whole "$/WARPed view of the world" paradigm for awhile.
I tired long ago of most of these arguments, because too many of the people wielding the info like cyber-Rambos with the newest BFG-5000 don't get just limited in scope this toy happens to be.  It doesn't apply to Frosh-to-Junior years, or arb players - or even internal salary extensions, (based on my understanding).  It's just the market value of FAs in a given year. 
Attempting to discuss monetary matters in MLB in a "logical" fashion is a fool's errand.  It cannot be done, because the MLB system is so bizarrely contrived with so many disperate moving parts that it's long ago passed beyond comical, past farce, into just plain insane. 
And, of course, it's a moving target.  Today, USA Today had a major article on the whining from Boras about collusion.  Why?  Because the clubs are suddenly unwilling to spend 8 figures and give out multi-year contracts to guys over 36.  Apparently, Boras thinks it's a criminal act for people to learn from mistakes and actually make more reasonable decisions.
Ultimately, the real sad part of all this is that most of those bowing at the temple of $/Warp don't understand that $ are only loosely tied to production.  The truth is, dollars are MUCH more tied to BUTTS IN SEATS.  Between two guys with identical RC/27 scores --- the guy who has a more marketable image is going to get the better deal.  Hero -- anti-hero -- doesn't matter.  If you're a NAME, you can get a deal.  If you're just "productive", but nobody knows who you are ... forget it.  Abreu was a SABR demigod, but the Yanks saw him as expendable, because NOBODY in NY was buying a ticket to see Abreu.  Abreu was old and busted -- Granderson is the new hotness.
Many star-nerds were horrified at Ichiro's deal, based on his sabr-lacking production chart, coupled with his age.  But Seattle's market is MASSIVELY influenced by the Japanese connection, (which is the real reason Ichiro makes the ASG each year).  The teams know that 75% of them won't make the playoffs.  Yeah, they may WANT to win, but the more immediate concern for most is -- break even, or make a profit.  So, you sign Griffey, because you KNOW he's going to put butts in seats, (even if his production tanks).  You sign Branyan for pennies on the production dollar because nobody on earth pays to see Branyan, (at least not before 2010).
Nobody wants to pay Washburn, because nobody really likes watching Washburn --- even if he's pitching well, and winning.  He's a 2400 baud modem in the modern world.  Sure, he may get the job done, but I'd rather be watching the Flintstones than downloading another 4-K, 2-walk Ambien from Washrag.  Who cares that he was the ace of a staff that won a World Series.  Nobody followed that team because of him, even then.
For all the love of glove that Beltre gets, let us not pretend for one second that the major contract he got from Seattle wasn't solely and completely a result of his Mt. St. Helens season. 
You think Dunn was signed by the Nats because they expected they'd WIN more?!?  IIRC, their win total went down one game, (not that the diff between 58 and 59 really matters).  They signed him because, if you know you're going to be losing, some people WILL pay to see massive home runs.  It's a bone to the mongrel hordes of baseball fans desperate to find an excuse to go out to the park. 
But, hey, if someone wants to spend their times computing what the FAs on the market might be getting from year to year ... no skin off my nose.  But, given the Hudson River clarity of the MLB monetary system, I'd think even M.C. Escher would get a headache if he stared at it too long.