The Padres extended one infielder yesterday when they locked up Jedd Gyorko through the 2019 season for a total of $35MM, and today, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports shines some light on San Diego's efforts to do the same with another of their infielders this past offseason. According to Heyman, the Padres offered third baseman Chase Headley a three-year extension worth $33-39MM. The deal would have gone into effect beginning in 2015, bringing Headley's four-year guarantee to a maximum of $49.525MM (Headley is earning $10.525MM in 2014).
The two sides are said to be nowhere close to finding a middle ground, writes Heyman, which isn't particularly surprising considering the fact that just one year ago, the Padres were prepared to make Headley an offer that would make him the highest-paid player in franchise history (topping Jake Peavy's $52MM guarantee). Headley, however, responded by stating that he didn't wish to dicuss contractual matters during the season.
At the time of the report, I speculated on Headley's chances at earning $100MM or more. Coming off a .286/.376/.498 season in which he belted 31 homers with 17 steals and elite defense, there seemed to be a case. Headley regressed to a still-solid batting line of .250/.347/.400 this past season (116 OPS+, 113 wRC+) and played his typically strong defense, but that platform year is far less enticing for a club than his MVP-caliber 2012 season. Headley and his agents at Excel Sports Management likely want to be compensated based on something closer to his ceiling (i.e. 2012), while the Padres look to be trying to leverage his decreased production into financial savings — a logical and understandable stance for each side.
A big year for Headley could persuade the Padres to up their offer, but they'd be doing so with Headley's first run through free agency nigh, and other, deeper-pocketed teams may be willing to outspend to secure the switch-hitter's service. Headley said earlier in Spring Training that he wasn't planning on discussing his contract until after the season. He's said in the past that his preference is to remain in San Diego, but the prospect of free agency may alter that thinking when the time comes in six months. Even without a return to his 2012 peak, Headley figures to be one of the most sought-after free agents on next year's open market.
.174 batting average so far……..I’m thinking 2012 production this season is a very distant dream. If he continues at this pace, he’ll be lucky to secure anything close to what the Padres offered. Can you say Jody Reed?
And two years ago today, early in that MVP-caliber 2012 season, Chase Headley was batting .207.
There are so, so many things wrong with using less than two weeks’ worth of batting average to project someone’s future production.
He’s a .268 hitter, nothing more, nothing less…..one year aberration doesn’t make an all-star!
Headley’s 2010, 2011 and 2013 seasons were not MVP caliber season like 2012 but they were still productive seasons. Hes a .268/.349/.413 hitter that plays good IF defense, nothing more nothing less.
Also as a matter of fact Headley was not selected to the all star game in 2012. All-star voting nothing more than a popularity contest.
Chase Headley was not selected to the all star game because he was posting his usual numbers up to that point. It wasn´t until the last 2 months of the 2012 season that he exploted.
Their post still stands. Josh Donaldson wasn’t voted in last year even though he was posting better numbers than the likes of Beltre, Longoria, and Machado. Does making an All Star game look better on your resume? Of course. But every year there are players that get snubbed who are more deserving than the players the fans vote for.
I blame people like Bryan LaHair for voters not trusting breakout stars will continue to be a star for the rest of the year.
If Chase Headley were a career .291/.364/.449 hitter with good defense at third base would you be singing the same tune?
If he was anywhere near .291 after 6 season he’d be expected to receive 100 mil offer in free agency, which is what Sandoval will get.
Headley is a .291/.364/.449 hitter on the road. He plays his home games – .242/.332/.374 – at Petco Park. He’s a fine third baseman, one of baseball’s ten best, and I might prefer him over Pablo Sandoval. Park matters.
Andrew McCutchen is currently hitting .239 with no homers in 2014, but do you think the Pirates regret extending him? He must be washed up… I agree completely, Steve.
McCutchen IS 2 years younger, lifetime BA TWENTY SEVEN points higher, WON AN MVP AND A three TIME ALLSTAR. He and Headley are not even on the same planet!
He never said they were. Headley is still a strong player even though 2012 was a fluke. Just goes to show you that this early in season the sample size isn’t big enough to make any determination on player’s ability.
I never said McCutchen was on a level with Headley. I picked him as an example to support Steve’s point and because I happen to be a Pirates fan. That’s it. If you want to use caps and exclamation points in an attempt to make your point, fine, but please don’t cherry pick my comments in an attempt to say I said something I didn’t.
McCutchen was offered to Kevin Towers for Headley early on.
McCutchen has had more than 1 all star season, unlike Headley.
He had a monster 2 months at the end of the 2012 season. Other than that, he´s been nothing special (as a hitter) through his whole career.
Someone who gets it! I live in San Diego. Headley is NOTHING special. The Padres had a sweet trade offer from the Yankees 2 years ago. They should have jumped on it.
He’s been an above average hitter every year of his career with the exception of his cup of coffee in 2007 and his 2010 season while offering a plus glove at 3B. Throw in a 79% steal rate [average of 14 SB per season] from his age 25 through 28 seasons and he’s actually been a pretty nifty player.
Sure the consistently average HR totals and batting average don’t jump out and he can rack up the Ks with the best of them, but Chase Headley really isn’t bad at any aspect of baseball.
The AAV isn’t bad but I’m sure Headley wants more then 3 years. If they won’t go past that he’s as good as gone. But offers like this just says to the fans at least we tried and put something on the table instead of the perceived notion they just let him walk. Personally I don’t think he’s worth it, he might be another Brady Anderson.
I think they offer him a qualifying offer and he accepts. He’ll get paid more that way yes?
Cant blame Headley for turning 3/39 down. If he can duplicate his 2011/2013 performance he should be in line for a 3/45+ deal. If he can replicate his 2012 performance he will command even more.
And high market teams like the Dodgers, Yankees, and Red Sox could realistically be on the lookout for infield help on the left side, as well as others. Especially if Sandoval re-signs with the Giants (which could happen, given they like to extend their own players), then Headley will be the most coveted 3rd baseman on the open market.
He may be smart to take a shorter contract at a place that is more hitter friendly to show people that petco is limiting his production.
Seems risky for him to turn down that much guaranteed money, given his spotty history. He might be able to cobble that much together anyway, but I doubt it’d all be over a single contract.
Headley gets a lot of flack for not duplicating his MVP caliber 2012 but he was still a top 10 MLB third-baseman from 2010-2013. Barring a total collapse this year he will do fine on the FA market.
Top 10 is stretching it… I don’t even think he got to 15 HR’s before that MVP caliber season. And he’s like a career .260 BA guy. Defensively he’s elite, but offensively he’s about as good as Juan Uribe was last year.
Since 2010, by fWAR, Headley has never ranked lower than 9th. Every year since 2011 he has ranked 6th or higher.
There is a lot more to offense than HR’s. Adam Dunn hits more than 15 HR’s a year and I wouldn’t want him anywhere near my team.
…. That’s why I mentioned BA as well. Also, Headley’s OBP has been in decline and is god awful thus far this year. Headley is good, he definitely has the potential, but he hasn’t even come close to what he did in that one year. Just doesn’t justify the money he’s expecting to get.
Spotty history? He posted a 7+ win year then followed that up with a 600 PA, 3.6-win season and has been consistently good since 2010.
Not really. Wouldn’t surprise me one bit to see him top $50MM, even if he doesn’t repeat 2012.
What could have made the Padres possibly think that a guy who was scheduled to make $10.5MM in 2014 would sign a 3 year extension for 2015 through 2017 at an AAV of $11 to $13MM per.
a) Job security
b) Qualifying offer system might screw him up
c) While it is a below market offer, maybe it was a starting point for the pads. Headley needs to forget about 100MM, it´s not going to happen and will likely only damage him if he sticks to it.
d) Stephen Drew
Job security is huge now-a-days, especially with how many significant player injuries that have risen recently. That’s really the reason why so many young talented players are signing extensions, even though they could get much more if they chose to wait the process out.
That’s a nice thought and for the kids 3 or 4 or more years from FA it makes sense to sign a long term deal and give up a couple of years of arbitration or FA. But that’s not the case with Headley he’s a FA this coming winter and I think most baseball executives realize him playing in SD is hurting his overall numbers. Away from Petco his career numbers are pretty darn good.
That is true, and I agree that Headley could definitely make much more on the open market. I was just kind of stating this in a general aspect rather than solely on Headley’s case. His numbers haven’t been great throughout his career, but he is a much better hitter on the road than at home (he has a career .810 ops on the road vs. .723 ops at home).
For what Headley has done throughout his career, the extension offered to him was a fair deal. But as free agency has shown, usually this scale falls much more on the hitter’s side; and for that reason Headley has every right to test free agency.
I appreciate your reply. But I have to disagree with you about it being a fair deal. From the looks of it the Padres were looking to lock up potentially his most productive years 30 to 32 or 33 years old with that 3 year offer with virtually no increase in pay when you consider baseballs inflation rate (not to be confused with the general inflation rate for normal jobs). I think and it’s just my opinion it was a low ball offer.
The Padres’ first offer “that would make him the highest-paid player in franchise history” sounded fair to me. Granted we don’t know the number of years offered but something in the 4/60-5/75 range seems fair to me.
I would agree with either of those numbers you mention. But not the 3 years $33 to $39MM the article talks about.
3 years in baseball these days isn’t much job security especially with Headley’s service time.
That is just a pittance. I don’t expect him to come anywhere close to his 2012 numbers, but he should very easily be able to top that in years and money.
Absolutely he should. Heck even if he gets a QO at the end of this year it’s estimated QO’s will be about $15MM that’s just slightly less then 1/2 what the Padres had offered him for 3 years. It made and makes no sense for Headley to take the Padres 3 year offer.
Anyone ever watch Headley play? If this guy is a top 10 free agent, the MLB scouts have been asleep for the last 10 years.