SAN DIEGO — After spending 14 nights in hotel rooms, meeting with 15 different teams, and negotiating $878 million worth of contracts, a surge of adrenaline is rushing through agent Scott Boras’ body.

He talks about how it was imperative Stephen Strasburg signed first with the Washington Nationals and setting up the historic $324 million contract for Gerrit Cole with the New York Yankees. 

He talks about the four teams who had seven-year offers for Anthony Rendon.

He talks about Mike Moustakas’ joy in finally getting a four-year contract after two agonizing winters.

He also talks about the shifting strategy of baseball owners who decided that free agency may be a safer path to the World Series than just sticking with the trade market.

This has been one of the wildest, most emotional, exhilarating rides of his life, but now his mind is racing, thinking about the man who made this all possible:

The late Marvin Miller, founder of the Major League Baseball Players Association, who was elected last Monday into the Hall of Fame.

“It’s such a special week and ironic that something like this would happen,’’ Boras said last week, “at a time Marvin gets into the Hall of Fame. This is a like a trophy for him. I remember the last thing I ever said to him was thanking him for basically creating and building a stage where I get to walk upon.”

A year ago, the two biggest free agents, Bryce Harper and Manny Machado didn’t sign until after the start of spring training. Boras said he met with five teams about Harper last year, but his first meeting wasn’t until Feb. 22, a week after spring training commenced.

This time around, he had 15 teams calling him before the start of the winter meetings, including eight teams that sat out of the free-agent process a year ago.

“It went from the ‘Big Chill,'” Boras said, “to ‘It’s a Wonderful Life.’’’

The key to the dominoes falling in line was Strasburg, who opted out of the four years and $100 million left his contract after winning the World Series MVP.

“I knew I had to do Strasburg contract first,’’ Boras says, “and there were almost too many teams interested in these players. So I narrowed it down to the clubs that viewed Stras as a priority, and then I met with the clubs that viewed Cole as a priority. So, by doing that, I had active negotiations, aggressive negotiations, going for both of them on at the same time.

“But I knew I had to get Strasburg done first so I could create and appraise the value of Cole. I had a couple of those teams that were in on Strasburg that would be in on Cole once Strasburg signed. I think that plan worked well.’’

Indeed, once the Nationals brought back Strasburg at $245 million over seven years, eclipsing David Price’s $217 million deal as the largest free agent contract for a pitcher, the stage was set for the 29-year-old Cole, who is two years younger than Strasburg.

“It created the logic of why a player is worth the years he’s worth,’’ Boras said. “When you can talk about the acknowledged metrics we use, a younger player is going to get more than an older player. The higher the WAR, the (velocity) ratings, the innings, those are all things that are looked at in contract terms, so it’s hard not to say that Cole would get more years than a player two years older than him, and guys like (Zack) Greinke were being paid to 37 (years of age).

“There were other metrics that could be used other than Strasburg to demonstrate that, but it’s much easier when its occurring in the time frame and the market that is current today.’’

The ink was barely dry on Strasburg’s contract when Cole was signed about 36 hours later..

Why so quick?

“The one thing about the demand in the market is two things,’’ Boras said. “I created the illustration that the clubs that didn’t sign (Max) Scherzer (in 2015) are very good teams, but have yet to win. New York didn’t sign him. The Dodgers didn’t sign him. Washington did. They were in the playoffs three of the five years, and it concluded with a World Series ring.

“I showed the teams these players don’t come along too often. And then I created a summary of the list who I believed will be No. 1s coming out in the next four years. And what opportunity they’re going to have.

“Cole and Strasburg, unlike many established No. 1 starters, don’t have trouble in the postseason. Stras and Cole demonstrated the ability to win elimination games. So you put a value in there that carries them above some of the pitchers who have won Cy Youngs, defeating the argument that only Cy Young pitchers can be in the $30 million market.’’

The Yankees, seeing the picture quite vividly, made sure to get their man, paying him nearly $1 million for every one of his 326 strikeouts last season.

Next up was Rendon.

“I got to the point where I was able to give Anthony an appraisal of what’s going on,’’ Boras said, “and he gave me teams to center on. So I called the teams and said, ‘If you want to move on this, today is the day.’ They said they did. And they put the offers in place. I had four to five seven-year offers for Rendon.’’

The Angels quickly pivoted after losing out on Cole.

“It was very clear to me that (owner) Arte (Moreno) wanted Anthony Rendon,’’ Boras said. “He called me. We met privately. He said, ‘Look I think this player is a special player. I think he makes a big difference in this franchise going forward. I want to have somebody hit behind Mike Trout.’ He was very serious about it. And I knew that.

“I told him that as we go forward, you’ll have a chance to sign the player. When I called him on Wednesday, I told him, ‘We’re ready to go.’ He said, ‘I’m ready to go.’‘’

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Perhaps the most surprising twist to the Rendon sweepstakes is that the Dodgers, after all of the speculation and rumors, never made him an offer.

“They made it clear they would want Rendon,’’ Boras said, “but Anthony told me he wanted to explore the Angels first. He really wanted to play with Mike Trout. He really felt and understood Angels need pitching, but just to play with Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, that core would allow them to get the pitching to compete.’’

The Angels’ deal was done in 10 hours, and just like that, Boras put Rendon on the telephone to share in a celebration.

“After every player signs, we put the player on the phone with their wives and share have a ceremonial moment with them,’’ Boras said. “It’s the best. It’s like Christmas, and you’re 5 years old, and you’re getting that toy train. It sometimes is emotional. You have people crying because it’s the end to such a long journey, and a great beginning to another. It’s one of the greatest things about this job.’’

It was a winter meetings like no other for Boras. 

“The winter meetings this year reflected a growth in the game and adjustment in the game,’’ Boras said, “and for me personally, it allowed me to effectively serve the interest of my clients. It served baseball, and put players in places that will most allow them to succeed.

“For one great franchise, Washington, it increases their chances of continuing their success. For another, it gives them another opportunity to be a world championship team again in New York. And in the Angels case, it sets in motion a tide that will make that franchise attractive again, with fans watching watch two of the game’s greatest hitters.

“It was a wonderful week for baseball.’’

Follow Nightengale on Twitter: @Bnightengale

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