SUNDAY: Iannetta’s option for 2020 is actually worth $4.25MM, per Heyman (Twitter link).
FRIDAY: The Rockies have announced a two-year deal with veteran catcher Chris Iannetta, as Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic first reported (Twitter link). Iannetta will receive a $8.5MM guarantee, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag tweets.
Iannetta will get a $300K signing bonus plus successive salaries of $3.45MM and $4MM, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter). The contract also includes a vesting/club option with a $5.25MM price and $750K buyout. It will vest if Iannetta starts at least 220 total games over the next two seasons
With the agreement, Iannetta becomes the second backstop to take home a multi-year deal this winter. Welington Castillo previously wrapped up a two-year, $15MM arrangement with the White Sox. Unsurprisingly, Iannetta settles for somewhat less, but still gets a large bump over last year’s $1.5MM salary.
The Rockies got a good look at Iannetta last year, as he appeared in 89 games for the division-rival Diamondbacks. Iannetta thrived in that half-time role, posting an excellent .254/.354/.511 batting line and launching 17 home runs in his 316 plate appearances. He continued to draw walks at a solid clip (11.7%) and made up for a career-worst 27.5% strikeout rate by posting a personal-high .257 isolated slugging mark.
Of course, Iannetta will also turn 35 just days into the 2018 season. And some regression is almost surely in the cards, though it’s fair to note that he has produced at the same level as recently as 2014 — though he also oversaw two mediocre seasons at the plate in the interim. Iannetta’s framing numbers have ridden much the same roller coaster in recent years.
The move represents a return to where it all began for Iannetta, who was drafted and developed by the Rockies. He now figures to occupy a significant portion of the organization’s playing time behind the dish. Perhaps the move does not fully eliminate the Rox as a suitor for Jonathan Lucroy, but it does make it quite a bit less likely that Lucroy will return to Colorado. The team could choose to pair Iannetta with one of its existing catchers, Tony Wolters or Tom Murphy, leaving some untapped resources free to pursue upgrades in other areas.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
So who else are interested in Lucroy’s service?
It won’t happen but I would like my Giants to sign him and get Posey over to first before he gets like Joe Mauer.
Posey is one of the best catchers and doesn’t have mauers injury history. He should stay at catcher
Astros are very interested in Lucroy
They tendered Gattis a contract, and still have McCann…no way they shell out another ~10mil on a catcher. Nationals might, though. Wieters was terrible, and they’re going to be all in this year.
No they aren’t
Damn I was hoping the DBacks would bring him back. Maybe Lucroy will be a possibility depending on the price
Not saying this is particularly related, but the Nats can’t afford to go into next year with Matt Wieters as their day 1 catcher. Lucroy seems like a fit there
Sooo having 2 mediocre catchers is better than 1?
Lucroy has been good for 5.5 of the last 6 seasons
Does this mean they’ve moved on from Jonathan Lucroy?
Looks that way
Theoretically, the Rockies could still sign Lucroy. Would think that Lucroy could play first to keep fresh on days Ianetta is behind the plate.
8.5 million shouldn’t keep that from happening but I’m drinking this *monster* eggnog my brother makes with lighter fluid so what do I know?
Lighter fluid eggnogg?! Please pontificate this evening on whatever subject strikes your fancy! Im all ears!
watching Better Off Dead and then going to see a crappy cover band! Summit Great Northern Porter is the drink of choice until tequila shots.
Heard this: if something gets in your way, turn.
Good signing. Scouted as a good catcher capable of carrying 50% of the duties.
Great move for the Rockies
Even if there is regression, playing at Coors will help his numbers.
Or did Iannetta stick it to the Rox?
Bummer I was hoping he’d leave the NL west.
Iannetta was traded from the Rockies in 2011 for Tyler Chatwood. Chatwood logged his six years of service time with the Rox and left as a free agent to sign with the Cubs, Now Iannetta has signed back with Colorado.
Baseball symmetry, catch it.
Great. I’ll take Iannetta over Lucroy anytime.
That’s bizarre. Iannetta is a good catcher who’s occasionally bad and occasionally great. Lucroy is a top 5 catcher who’s good even when he’s not great. Personally, as a Rockies fan, I’m happy with the signing. We needed somebody and this leaves a lot of financial flexibility. Avila could potentially be added as well for a combined total near what Lucroy might be asking.
Lucroy seems destined for Houston, he lives there and wants to win a world series.
Rockies seem to be attempting an extension for Blackmon, which should leave around 20-30M in spending money for this off season. My perfect scenario for them would be trading for Colome, spending around 10M on Reed or Morrow, extending Blackmon, and having enough leftover to pursue Alex Avila and Danny Valencia as platoon/depth pieces.
As a Rays fan (I live in Tampa) and a Rockies fan (I’m from Colorado), you don’t want Colome. Don’t let his save totals fool you. His saves are ugly. Like, Fernando Rodney ugly. And the Rays are going to ask a lot for him. The Rays got Dickerson (an all-star last season) from Colorado in exchange for McGee, and McGee wasn’t a full-time closer. Now imagine what they’ll want for Colome. Forget it.
Successful 35-year old catchers are rare. Good luck.
Actually catchers age better than almost any other position.
No they don’t ! They don’t age well at all. Catching takes its toll on all parts of the body. Especially the knees
and the back and the hands!
Could the Braves be a fit for Lucroy? Suntrust might help his bat.
Why? The Suzuki/Flowers platoon worked well for them last year? Why not just keep with it?
Houston wants Lucroy, I like this deal, leaves more money for the pen.. Wolters or Murphy could be a decent back up.
I like Boston for Lucroy, don’t know why nobody ever mentions them.
They have a young, inexpensive, and reasonably effective catcher already. Lucroy is better sure, but we’re probably talking a difference in salaries of about 7-12M.
They have Sandy León and… ? Lucroy would be great for Boston
How about Vazquez who had a .735 OPS, catching 42% stealing for Boston…?
Last season Lucroy was a 84 OPS plus, 0.6 WAR player. Ianetta was a 114 OPS plus, 1.8 WAR player. Plus Ianetta was the better defensive catcher. Sneaky good move for the Rockies.
2/8.5m for a backup wow. That’s slightly over pay
He’s going to be their starter
Please don’t sign Lucroy Rockies. Why pay Lucroy to play 50/50 at first… just get a real power first baseman, plenty out there. Hate the signing of Iannetta… but this is the Rockies just keeping the same old players.