The Dodgers locked up MVP candidate Matt Kemp to an eight-year, $160MM contract earlier this offseason, but they aren't close to signing any more of their core players. Dylan Hernandez of The Los Angeles Times reports (on Twitter) that the team has yet to discuss long-term contract extensions with Andre Ethier and Clayton Kershaw.
Ethier, 29, is projected to earn $10.7MM in 2012, his final trip through arbitration before becoming a free agent after next season. The two-time All-Star slumped in the power department in 2011, hitting just 11 homers while battling knee and elbow problems. He's a .291/.364/.479 career hitter, though he has struggled against left-handers (.242/.302/.359) and the advanced metrics don't love his defense.
The 23-year-old Kershaw can't become a free agent until after 2015, but signing him might be the more pressing issue for the Dodgers. Our model projects him to earn $8.4MM in 2012 thanks to his Cy Young Award, even though it will be just his first time through arbitration. The southpaw led the National League in wins (21), ERA (2.28) and strikeouts (248) last year, and in his three full seasons he owns a 2.63 ERA and 9.5 K/9 in 608 2/3 innings.
Ben Nicholson-Smith suggested a five-year, $30MM deal for Kershaw back in August 2010, but the Dodgers can forget about that now. A contract in line with the ones signed by Felix Hernandez (five years, $78MM) and Justin Verlander (five years, $80MM) before last season are more reasonable comparables.
If I’m the Dodgers extending Kershaw is my number one priority right now, quite frankly, he’s a boss.
No way dude, Mike Macdougal is priority!
If the advanced metrics don’t like Either’s defense, how did he get a gold glove last year?
apparently advanced metrics don’t like the defense of most
Watching Andre isn’t too great either to be honest. He won because he doesn’t make “errors.”
Advanced Metrics don’t hit walk off HR’s. He got it because of his batting streak and his offense from the previous year. He is a young-ish “hot talent” oh and he plays in Hollywood
Just my opinion, Ethier was actually a good defender last season. Did he deserve the GG over Upton? No way but he was good last season
Hey, you did something right by extending Kemp, at least have a good track record of extending guys by getting Kershaw locked up to Ned. Ethier I wouldn’t lock up. He doesn’t seem to like LA very much at this point, and if we fall out of contention he could get something good at the deadline.
Reposted from Fielder Thursday Rumors-
“So can Frank McCourt sign Fielder to a massive deal with the league minimum as the first years salary so he can afford it, then years 2-8 just make up the first year? A team with Kershaw, Kemp, Fielder and Ethier would surely bring in more money than a team without Fielder… Right? Backload that sumbich’n contract and reap the rewards come auction time? “
They should just shop Ethier, I don’t think his D is that great and his offense has been tailing off. He and Loney should be traded before season’s end. I really have no idea what this team is going to do though. They acquired a ton of players in the off-season but they are all marginal at best. Kemp is still the lone star in the lineup but their pitching staff has the potential to be very good. This division is wide open though, but Arizona is determined to prove they aren’t a one year wonder, they’ve added quality players when everyone else has been moving in the other direction.
Extending Kersh should be #1 priority, followed closely by trading Dre after he has reestablished some value.
Thanks Broctonmill or is it Octonmiller?
Kershaw having one good year doesn’t warrant a big contract.
how about 3 great years?
How about 3 great years plus the fact he’s improved every year in the majors plus he is an ace plus he has yet to turn 24.
Dumb.
WAR the last three years: 4.1, 4.7. 6.8
Age the last three years: 20, 21, 22
Notice a trend there? If anyone in baseball three years away from free agency warrants a big contract, this guy does.
If he keeps playing well and is a free agent at 25 I can’t imagine how much he would get in free agency. I know he’s a pitcher but he could still get a crazy deal.
Well whoever buys the Dodgers should have enough common sense to tell their new GM to write a blank check and prepare for a record deal for a pitcher.
Right now, I’d still take Halladay to start a pitching staff around. Though in year or 2 it could easily be Kershaw.
Halladay is still the best pitcher in the majors right now, but if I’m building a club for the future, I might take Kershaw, just because he’s so much younger.
10/225 might be in play.
I know, it’s insane.
LOL, you been missing some great baseball these past 3 years
Don’t think anyone is thinking Kershaw is going somewhere. He’s clearly not. I’d also peg his salary for 2012 at closer to $8 million.
Passing on Prince because you hope Votto will be available in a trade next year or in free agency after 2013 is more than risky. Votto could be extended by the Reds or traded elsewhere to a team with more to offer than LA and then extended. It’s actually quite rare that guys of his caliber hit free agency (Pujols/Prince notwithstanding).
Exactly. The fact this is even an issue worth reporting on is puzzling. I think Frankie has a few other things on his mind considering he must sell by the end of April.
So Matt Kemp got a new contract because?
Couldn’t disagree with you more, any LA baseball team in this Baseball atmosphere is going to be a money printing machine. They could sign Vladdy for 5/$90m and 6 groups would still be bidding against eachother to buy the team. New TV contract ring a bell for you?
You are annoying.
You are annoying.
Ummmm… Who are you a fan for?
I guess. I would be more comfortable getting him locked up now though. People shouldn’t be scared off by locking up one of the best young pitchers in the game. If an extension for Kershaw scares off perspective bidders, than good riddance. They know nothing about baseball anyway.
Frank doesn’t negotiate, he just pays the players (not really, I guess the bank does now or something. Whatever, he’s the owner). Kershaw is likely to set a 1st time record in arbitration this year. He’s going to get something like $8 million according to the estimates on here. Extending him now doesn’t hurt the clubs value. Kershaw is an amazing pitcher and locking him up shouldn’t scare away bidders. It just lets them know exactly how much they’re going to have to pay him, and for how long into the future.
Besides the new owner can pretty much make their money back on the new TV deal they’re going to get from what I’ve heard.
The ownership groups are in this thing to make money, do you think Joe Torre, Orel Hershiser, or Steve Garvey have a billion dollars? NOPE! Do you think the financial institutions that are backing them care if they didn’t get a say in who was signed before the team was sold? Nope, all they care about are the crisp Benjamins that will be flowing into Chavez Ravine from ticket sales, merchandising, the new TV Deal that will surely rival the Angels’ $150,000,000/year and having 3 legitimate super stars will surely help to drive that money train to LA a lot quicker than 2 super stars. As for not wanting a heavily backloaded contract look up the principles of Money Time Value …
Do you really think Andre Ethier was the best defensive Right Fielder in the NL last year? Ethier was 7th in assists last year for NL right fielders, his UZR and RngR were both behind Jason Heyward and Justin Upton. I’m glad he was able to catch a ball and throw to the cutoff man like he is supposed to do
The same reason why all these other top of the rotation pitchers got new deals
so that the club can get 2-3 years of FA service at a decent rate. You might over pay a bit for his ARB years but look at Lincecum, hes gonna make 20 million dollars from his ARb hearing.. Much rather the Dodgers take the gamble and sign him to a deal
There’s a whole article on here about Kershaw’s arbitration case you can maybe look up.
And I know Frank sets limitations, but at this point, an extension isn’t bad. It shouldn’t change what the payroll would be very much for 2012, because Kershaw should get about the same as he would have, and in the future it no longer matters to McCourt.
You can’t argue with UZR and that other thing. Because, you know. Because.
I think it’s time to stop talking about Frank as though he’s the future of the Dodgers.
Google’s your friend buddy, use it. Were you able to see as many of Heyward or Upton’s games as you were Ethier’s? Were you in MLB’s FanCave last season?
Thanks buddy. I learned about Google today, so now I know everything.
I “liked” your reply because I support knowledge. Tomorrow maybe you will get a Gold Star…
Fair enough. I guess we just have different opinions here. The arguments don’t seem to be going anywhere.