The Pirates announced they've agreed to terms on a one-year deal with closer Joel Hanrahan, tweets MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch. The deal is worth $4.1MM, tweets ESPN's Keith Law. The righty can earn an additional $10K for 40 and 45 games finished and $15K each for 50 and 60 games finished, MLBTR has learned. Hanrahan, a client of Reynolds Sports Management, projected for a $4MM salary according to Matt Swartz. He was arbitration eligible for the second time after earning $1.4MM in 2011.
Hanrahan, a daily MLB Trade Rumors reader, told Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in late December that a multiyear contract had not been brought up.
Having signed relievers Jason Grilli and Chris Resop as well, the Pirates still have Garrett Jones, Jeff Karstens, Casey McGehee, Evan Meek, and Charlie Morton on the docket, as our arbitration tracker shows.
C’mon NH, get him signed to an extension. He can be the closer for 5 yrs+ and anchor the rebuild – young staff of Cole, Taillon, Allie etc in a couple of years will need it.
Joel: see you in Bradenton!
He needs to be traded ASAP. How many closers have a self life of 5 yrs+? This team has much more pressing needs than closer. Those needs can be filled by trading him.
ur crazy,hopefully he has another solid year and we can actually trade him for a bat that can help this lineup.
It’s going to take more than a bat to help the Pirates.
right like you would know.
Yeah, they need a gajillion dollar TV deal like the Rangers have. That would help.
I agree. Trade Hanrahan at high value and use Meek as closer until Allie is ready.
why trade him , he is still cheap and only getting better. they have cost control for 2 more years ,
thats why u trade him,his value is at an all time high.
I wouldn’t trade him but I don’t see how he can get much better than posting an ERA under 2. I’d like to see the Pirates build around the players they have now. Keep a strong bullpen so when the young rotation is set, they won’t have too much pressure on him.
Keeping Cutch and Walker here for a long time are the top two priorities, though.
I don’t understand the need some people have to run Hanrahan out of town. Sure, his value is high… but he is still relatively young, the Pirates still control him for a couple more years, and maybe most importantly, the fact that he is willing to talk long-term contract means he actually wants to be here. At some point, the Pirates are going to have to stop trading everyone who develops into an important piece of the puzzle.
“At some point, the Pirates are going to have to stop trading everyone who develops into an important piece of the puzzle.”
Agreed. But they’re not at that point yet and I’m not sure how important a piece Hanrahan is anyhow. Closer is the last thing a team coming off a 90 loss season needs to be concerned with. And closers tend to flame out quickly. He’s not even likely to still be dominant by the time the Bucs are ready to compete. If they can get an everyday bat or decent starter out of him, they should do it in a heartbeat and never look back.
I agree that closer is not a primary need for a 90 loss team… if they don’t already have one. Well, the Pirates have one. Since they do, why not at least start the season with him as a plus and maybe a possible trade asset instead of assuming that they will lose 90 games again? Hey, If they can get an everyday bat or starter out of him, I’d be happy too… but just like everyone else has been saying, closers don’t last, so why would a team trade an everyday bat to us for a closer who probably won’t last? I am not suggesting that they never trade Hanrahan, I am just trying to counter the notion that they have to trade him now, if even at all.
Pittsburghers aren’t quite tuned to the interworkings of baseball yet…because until last summer there was little hope. But, that leads many to think Hammer is the solution to all our problems. I LOVE the guy, but outside of Rivera, CLOSERS DON’T LAST. This isn’t some case of a player pricing himself out of our reach so we trade him, this is a case of selling high on a guy who likely doesn’t have many more great years left in him and reaping a very, very, very nice return. Closers get incredible returns on trades, and with where this team is, he’s more valuable as trade bait than anything else. Of course, if the season pans out differently and by the deadline we need him more than usual, than so be it. But it’s silly not to consider trading him. I’d be mad if NH didn’t do it merely because the fans like him. That’s irresponsible.