posted on Saturday, August 18, 2007 4:22 PM
by
Jim
Jermaine Dye, back for two more (updated again)
Two years, $22 million:
SEATTLE - The White Sox re-signed right fielder Jermaine Dye to a two-year, $22 million extension plus a mutual option for 2010.
[...]
Dye will receive $9.5 million in 2008 and $11.5 million
in 2009. The mutual option is $12 million for 2010, with a $1 million
buyout.
When murmurs of a Dye extension started growing in volume, I figured the only way it would make sense is if Dye agreed to a two-year deal. Which meant that Dye would be testing the market. After all, he is 33 years old, and it's probably his last chance at a mega-huge contract.
Shows what I know.
There's a lot to like about this deal:
No. 1: He's not blocking anybody. A wrist injury sidelined Brian Anderson for the season, and Ryan Sweeney is unsuccessfully trying to play through one himself. But even if healthy, neither one provides the power needed from a corner outfield spot.
Remember Nathaniel Whalen's Owens-Rowand-Sweeney outfield from a couple days ago? That might put up 30 homers in a season if they're lucky. In a down year, Dye has 24 himself.
No. 2: He'll only have to play right for one year. Dye looked like a designated hitter in waiting when he played through a variety of leg injuries in the first half of the season. Since healing, however, he's been running better, and his future as a fielder has gained some life. He went from playing a double into a triple once a series to once every couple weeks, and at least he has an arm.
With Jim Thome's contract expiring at the end of the 2008 season, the Sox can slide Dye into the DH spot. He'd probably work well in a Reggie Sanders role, DHing most of the time with the ability to hold down a corner for stretches.
No. 3: As far as I know, he's tradeable. I haven't seen anything regarding a limited no-trade clause in his contract, so if the Sox's first half of 2008 looks anything like the first half of 2007, Dye would have more trade value than merely a package of Craig Hansen and Wily Mo Pena in return. Especially if Dye is healthier.
UPDATE: There
are no-trade clauses after all. Thanks to Larry to pointing out the details, as posted in the
the updated version of the story:
Dye's extension includes a $12 million mutual option for 2010 and a
full no-trade clause for 2008 and a no-trade clause to six teams in
2009.
Needless to say, I'm now a little disenchanted. Unless the Sox truly stink and Dye wants to waive his right like Jose Contreras did, it seems like Dye's greatest value will be hitting a clump of homers for a mediocre ballclub, instead of bringing back younger talent.
No. 4: It takes them out of the running for a free agent. Given the deals accepted by Dye and Mark Buehrle, it's possible that Aaron Rowand might bypass top dollar elsewhere to return to the South Side. But it would take that kind of sacrifice for the Sox to end up with any free-agent outfielder, which is OK by me. The top options are all going to be on the wrong side of 30, and the Sox need to get younger.
So what's the catch? It's not quite apparent yet, but it does have an ominous overtone -- namely that this is a move that preserves the status quo for a team in desperate need of a revamping. If hindsight doesn't shake Kenny Williams' belief that he built his 2007 team for contention, then Sox fans could be in for another year of misery and frustration.
As it stands, I don't have any problems with this deal, but the true worth of throwing $11 million a year at a fairly deserving but clearly aging outfielder in a team that's years away from contending might not be determined for another 11 months.
UPDATE: Yep,
Kenny still believes:
"As I've always said, I'll let you know when we're in a rebuilding
mode," Williams said. "Now is not the time for that. We still have far
too many pieces that I consider championship pieces for us to go in
that direction."
Ruh roh.
***********************
Minor league round-up (Friday, Aug. 17):
- Louisville 12, Charlotte 9
- Nick Masset gave up nine hits, five runs and three homers over five innings. He didn't walk anybody and struck out four.
- Carlos Vasquez, Dewon Day, Vladimir Nunez and Jake Robbins were all scored upon in relief.
- One of Earl Snyder's three hits left the yard; Casey Rogowski can claim the same.
- Kenny Perez went 4-for-5 with three RBI; Ryan Sweeney went 1-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Birmingham 10, Mobile 6
- Kyle McCulloch struck out six over five innings. He gave up five runs, but only two were earned.
- Fernando Hernandez struck out four over two perfect innings and earned the victory.
- Victor Mercedes went 2-for-5, but one of the hits was a grand slam.
- Chris Getz and Ricardo Nanita had three hits apiece; Cory Aldridge went 1-for-2 with three walks and four runs scored.
- Winston-Salem 2, Salem 0
- Derek Rodriguez went the distance for a two-hitter. He walked two and struck out seven.
- Micah Schnurstein hit a solo homer, and Daron Roberts added the other RBI.
- Savannah 6, Kannapolis 1
- Jacob Rasner dropped to 5-10 despite pitching well, allowing three runs on six hits over seven innings. He lowered his ERA to 6.27.
- Sergio Miranda went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI.