Months after signing second baseman Howie Kendrick to an extension, the Angels have agreed to extend shortstop Erick Aybar with a four-year beginning in 2013. The new portion of the deal is worth $35MM and will pay $8.5MM per season with a $1MM signing bonus.
Kendrick’s four-year, $33.5MM extension was apparently used as framework for Aybar's deal, though the shorstop was reportedly seeking at least five years and $50MM. As our Extension Tracker shows, Aybar joins Troy Tulowitzki and Alexei Ramirez as the only shortstops to sign extensions worth $30MM or more in recent years.
Aybar, 28, has been the Halos' regular shortstop since the start of the 2008 season. He's hit .278/.322/.386 during that time, doing his best work in 2009 (.312/.353/.423) and 2011 (.279/.322/.421). Aybar reached both the 30 stolen base and ten home run plateaus for the first time in his career last season. He took home a Gold Glove Award last year and ranks eighth among all shortstops with a +2.6 UZR/150 since the start of 2010.
MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez first reported the agreement while Mike DiGiovanna of The Los Angeles Times and ESPN's Jerry Crasnick (Twitter link) had the terms of the deal. Mike Axisa and Zach Links contributed to this post.
I wonder if this means Jean Segura is on the trading block
Segura or Amarista replace Izturis next year.
Segura doesn’t have that much monetary value yet. We wouldn’t get anything of great value. When it’s time for Segura to start, Aybar (and his contract) will be dealt. I think the only players of value that could be dealt and get our needs filled are: Morales or Trumbo, Izturas or Callaspo. It would be nice to be able to trade Wells or Torii, but the baggage is too great.
Baseball America ranked him 55th top prospect.
Nothing good will come of this until they DFA Kevin Jepsen. He makes me sick. I think this was a good move by the Angels though.
hopefully he starts playing better with the contract talks behind him
How about Jesus Guzman from the Pads for Jean Segura. DH for the Angels and a top prospect shortstop for the Pads?
Angels don’t need a DH. Kendrys will be around for a while longer, with CJ Cron and eventually Pujols thereafter.
Not to mention Trumbo.
Guzman has no real value. He has one tool, hitting, and that’s it. Nice tool to have, and it will keep him in the bigs for years, but he’s got lack luster power for a corner infielder/outfielder. Not to mention his stone glove….And he’s not exactly young.
Roll all that together and it doesn’t = a top 50 prospect.
To me, he screams as a Fernando Tatis type player. Good player to have on your bench, but his defense is what keeps from starting anywhere.
Nothing better than a good, old, one-sided trade. LOL
Not saying this is a great contract, but it isn’t the worst and they did get a decent offensive player who is till young and is really fast for only 9m a season.
What it does do? Magnifies how bad a couple of other rotten SS deals were of late.. Jeter and especially Rollins, who got virtually the same money (33m) only for 3 years and Aybar is the exact same defender, only the better guy on the offensive end nowadays, plus 5 years younger.
Is he really worth that much? He got more than Kendrick when Kendrick is the better player
more consistent on both defensive and offensive when he gets rolling..plus he got a gold glove at the hardest defensive position. Easily the best defensive ss in all Majors, he may have more errors than some, but his range is incredible. Makes a sportscenter top10 play nearly every game.
alexi ramirez and tulo have something to say about him being the best defensive SS in all of the majors aybar UZR last year 1.2, career=7.7 (uzr 150 last year .9, Career=1.9)
Tulo last year 7.3 ,28.8 for career(UZR 150 last year 7.9, 5.7 for career)
Alexi Ramirez UZR last year=11.9 career=24.9(150 last year=11.4 career=7.4)
so…whos the best in all of baseball, not aybar thats for sure
If they trade anybody, I think it will be Trumbo, unfortunately. Unless Artie will eat some of Wells’ contract, he is pretty much untradeable. Wells has been hitting the ball pretty hard thus far, but has been unlucky. We should trade Bourjos and Abreu so we can bring Trout and Garrett Richards up. Jerome Williams is not as good as Richards, so I think that move is just a matter of time. Trumbo needs to be an everyday player, whether it’s at third or OF, because he may be one of the best power hitter in MLB.
This confirms my hypothesis: players are getting extended like hot cakes these days.
A lot of players are going with contract extensions, rather that free agency. That is bad news for the Yankees and Red Sox.
Great, Mr. All show and no go will be with us for four more years. Help me curb my enthusiasm please.
With the market as it is next year, and premier players being locked up left and right, Aybar would have been in for a big contract next year. This might actually end up being a bargain. As for the whole Segura thing, I’ve always thoughht it was foolish to let go of a proven Major Leaguer in Aybar and take a risk on Segura, who as much as I love him and his ST showed he could be a stud, is not only unproven but seems to be a bit injury-prone. It just doesn’t fit in with their win-now mode.
And don’t forget, these are the Angels we’re talking about. Seems like Sosh can’t get enough of these small, all-contact/no-power infielders.
Aybar was worth 4+ WAR twice in the last three years. This is an absolute steal.