Rangers GM Jon Daniels says that the club still may explore long-term extensions with some players before Spring Training ends, writes MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. The club currently has four notable players who could be candidates for new deals.
Even though he won't be a free agent until after the 2015 season, Elvis Andrus could be in line for an extension. As Sullivan points out, the Rangers worked out a multiyear deal with Ian Kinsler at a similar point in his career to skirt future arbitration years. Rightfielder Nelson Cruz has three years left before he can test the open market but a multiyear deal would mean avoiding two years of arbitration.
Club officials have suggested that an extension is unlikely with left-hander C.J. Wilson, who is a free agent after this season. Same goes for slugger Josh Hamilton who recently signed a two-year, $24MM deal to avoid arbitration. Even though Hamilton is the biggest name in the quartet, Sullivan writes that because the deal was just completed, the two parties probably aren't in a rush to hammer out a new one right away.
Meanwhile, the Rangers would also like to get a deal done with Daniels. Club president Nolan Ryan is confident that the two sides will work out an extension, though he won't put a timetable on it.
I thought Andrus can become FA after 2014 season, not after 2015 season? He has 2 years service time now.
Nice catch. Maybe he’s a Super Two?
Lock the young guys up!!!! Rangers have a great core group and tons of talent! Hope they can stay together, they are fun to watch and great for baseball!!
Michael young ain’t getting any younger
Michael Young has nothing to do with this.
Even if they made Michael Young the head groundskeeper, by next season, they’d hire a new, younger, cheaper groundskeeper, and ask Michael to start selling beer.
So I was talking to Chuck Greenberg the other day, and during the conversation the topic of Young came up, and he just stopped, walked down the hall to where Michael Young was sitting, and just started screaming at him, “NO SOUP FOR YOU! NO SOUP FOR YOU!” over and over again. Strangest thing ever.
If the younger and cheaper groundskeeper actually bothered to keep the field watered and was much better at chalking the foul lines, then yeah, I could see that happening. The Rangers have this really strange fascination with trying to make their team better. Weird.
The only guy there I’d lock up long term is Nelson Cruz. It’d be the most cost-effective lock up of that group and the most advantageous for the club on many levels. I’m thinking 5 years/$30MM w/ a $10MM club option and a $1MM buy out.
I agree, although Elvis Andrus would come at a steep discount right now, albeit with much more risk.
No point signing Hamilton or CJ to an extension at this point. CJ because it’s just crazy risky with the innings increase and being a pitcher and all, and Hamilton because you’d basically get zero discount at this point. It’d be the Mauer deal all over again.
Also there’s no telling how having money will affect Hamilton, so there’s a lot people have to observe over the next two years.
Yea, because he didn’t just make over 3 million dollars in 2010…….
$1.5 to uncle sam, another 5-10% to his agent, etc. He probably takes home 40%. I’m not rich, so I’m not gonna pretend that in real world terms that isn’t still a ton of money, but there’s a huge difference between $24MM and $3MM and the temptations of an addict are what they are. That’s all I’m saying.
time to lock up Michael young to spend the rest of his career in a rangers uniform!
Pretty sure he’s locked up through age 85.
Spend that Cliff Lee money Rangers!
“Alright CJ, we’ll give you 6 years 80 million…if you can withstand my immense fighting skills better than that hack Robin Ventura could. C’mere.”
They need to extend Kinslar he’s the best 2nd baseball next to Cano.. Utley is good but he’s 3rd best… Nelson Cruz is a must keep too.. to bad Michael Young is out of the picture, it’s a real shame they wasted 90mil on Beltre.. who had the best season of his Career since his last with the Dodgers.. one he will never repeat.. the point is you always keep the franchise player over the guy that wants twice as much as he’s really worth