The Giants have reached an agreement with second baseman Freddy Sanchez on a one-year, $6MM extension, MLBTR has learned. The Giants have confirmed the agreement (on Twitter).
Sanchez's previous contract, signed in October of 2009, runs through this year, and the new deal extends him at the same salary through the 2012 season. According to our source, Sanchez turned down a 2013 club option with an accompanying buyout, preferring to retain control of his contractual status after the '12 season. Sanchez is represented by Sosnick Cobbe Sports.
Sanchez, 33, hit .292/.342/.397 in 479 plate appearances for the Giants last year, batting second most of the time. He's known for his ability to hit for average, with a .298 career mark and a batting title in 2006. He's also solid with the glove, based on UZR. The one recent concern has been durability, as he's missed time with back, knee, and shoulder injuries the past few years.
The extension pushes Sosnick Cobbe Sports into the $90MM range for total contracts brokered this offseason, putting the firm in play for top ten overall placement for the second consecutive winter. Though it's a small agency, Sosnick Cobbe has done about the same volume of business this winter as Wasserman Media Group and Octagon due to contracts for Jay Bruce, Ricky Nolasco, and others. Josh Willingham is an extension candidate with Oakland, which could push their total higher.
April fools?
Unfortunately, probably not.
I’ll take a gold glove caliber defender and a .290 second basemen any day. Barring injuries he’s a solid lockup until Charlie Culberson can prove himself above A ball.
Do people believe this? This is an April Fools joke. No link given? Come up with something believable next time, like Eric Milton comes out of retirement. GIVE A FAKE LINK, BRO!
^ LOL
sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=2…
Real link
HAHA it’s been reported on Twitter by Crasnick! He probably saw it here!!
Haha we learned our lesson on April Fool’s jokes after the Carlos Lee traded to the Cubs incident back in, I think, ’06.
This is puzzling…I guess management doesn’t expect Charlie Culberson to be ready.
I was thinking the same thing. We have a few fringe prospects up the middle, but Sabean must not have confidence in them taking over the big league job next year.
I don’t really see Culberson being ready till mid season 2012 either, his glove work is ok, but his bat needs work.
Uh dude… the reason Culberson isn’t a top prospect is because of his glove. He can already hit, .292/16/80 last year. And he’s only 21.
Yeah, and as a 20 year old, he “produced” a 246/303/306 line in a repeat performance in Low-A. If he manages a 750 OPS in Richmond, it would be a major surprise.
(A) Charlie Culberson isn’t going to be a big league starter.
(B) This is Brian Sabean we’re talking about. Of COURSE he wants a mediocre player who’s too old.
Oh snap, it is true!
I don’t have much problem with this. Solid defense and decent average for one more season. No immediate prospects on the cusp. Seems like alot of money considering what other vets have been getting, but Sanchez isn’t dead weight. In fact I think this will be his best Giants season so far. Finally healthy (for now).
The Giants hung onto to Ray Durham until he was 36. …so I’m surprised Freddy didn’t get a three year deal.
The Giants offered a deal containing an option for a third year but Sanchez declined that offer because he wanted to keep more control of his future.
One-year deals are better than two-year deals. For $6 million, Sanchez’s production on offense and defense are about right. He’s not immediately blocking anyone.
Other than this deal being a bit premature, as there’s still 161 games left to play, I don’t have a problem with this deal. Don’t love it, but we all know that it could be SO MUCH WORSE.
I’m calling it now, the Giants most pressing need will be to find an everyday replacement for Tejada by midseason.
I agree man we need a new shortstop and preferably one with speed.
I know its only one game in, but Tejada looked terrible last night(not to mention, all of spring training). Looks old and slow, which given his age, makes sense. Fingers crossed that he improves, but I’m not holding my breath. There is no way that he’ll be the #6 hitter that he was signed to be(move to 8th tonight).