MONDAY: If the sides complete the deal it’s expected to be for about $18MM and three years, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports (on Twitter).
FRIDAY: The Giants and Jeremy Affeldt are in talks about a three-year contract worth $15-20MM, reports Jon Heyman of CBSSports (on Twitter). Earlier tonight, USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported that the team was confident in re-signing the veteran left-hander.
Affeldt, 33, pitched to a 2.70 ERA with 8.1 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 in 63 1/3 relief innings for San Francisco this year. He added another 10 1/3 scoreless innings in the playoffs as the Giants clinched the World Series title. MLBTR's Tim Dierkes ranked Affeldt 50th in his Top 50 Free Agents ranking, predicting that he would re-sign with the team.
Affeldt is a very valuable piece to have in the bullpen. The fact that he can throw hard with his fastball (93-97 mph) while throwing a very slow curve that is among the best in baseball (in the low 70’s) along with a devastating slider, is what has made him a solid relief pitcher the last 5-6 seasons. Throw into that he’s a lefty who can get righties out, any bullpen could use him. With the money the Giants have from winning the series, they would be more than happy to bring Affeldt back.
I completely agree, but there’s a part of me that still thinks it’s crazy to commit this much money to a middle reliever.
Can’t argue with results though, everybody thought it was nuts to pick up Affeldt’s option and resign Javy Lopez each at $5M instead of committing more money to Beltran.
Yea, it still seems like a lot, but at least it’s probably gonna be less than what League got and Mijares and Lopez are lefty specialists only.
Don’t count too much on Mijares. He’s due for one of his really bad years.
It may look like a lot, but the way inflation has been with baseball contracts, that much money would probably look normal or even good by the 3rd year. That is also assuming he’s still effective and hasn’t tried to cook any burgers himself.
I remember people saying that we should have dropped Affeldt and go in-house for someone like Runzler last offseason…So glad we didn’t choose to go that way.
yeah definitely haha. I remember some “expert” saying the pagan trade was going to be a disaster. And andres torres had more upside. Also ramon ramirez was going to be a star. Its smart to just let things happen before you start speaking in absolutes.
It’s ALWAYS smart to let things happen before you start speaking in absolutes…100 percent of the time this is always true, period, no doubt ever. Period.
Crazy how experts can be. I remember last offseason when many people were saying how the Royals practically just took J. Sanchez for Melky. However watching Sanchez in 2011, he didn’t have the same dominance he did in 2009-10 because of his fastball dipping in velocity, while it appeared that Melky was finally breaking out (that is, however, until the positive drug test). Also with the Pagan trade, many were saying how valuable Ramirez was to the bullpen and how trading for someone as “invaluable” in Pagan, who many in the NY media proclaimed a DFA candidate, was a bad move by the Giants. Also crazy how the media can hurt a player’s value, such as in the case of Pagan last offseason, when many said he was a “clubhouse cancer”.
I thought 5 Mil was a little high at the time; would have preferred a 3-4 Mil deal as it seemed like we needed just a little bit more money to sign Beltran. Really like Affeldt though and was glad we could sign him.
Not really, Especially when some team just posted $25 mil for an Korean reliever. I would be more than happy to have Affeldt for 3 years @ 6 to 7 mil per year. He made 5 mill last year and is definitely worth a mil to 2 mil raise.
I still don’t understand why they couldn’t have done both. Isn’t Beltran a free agent now?
Nope. Signed a 2-year deal.
I agree he is very valuable as he can come in games as a LOOGY or pitch a full inning or even in long relief. But am really against signing a reliever for that many years and that amount. Also he is 33.
I knew he was around that age. damn. my eye sight is so bad lol. I thought it said he was 37 on a way earlier post. Knowing he wanted a 3 year deal I assumed the Giants would let him walk with the other 2 lefties they have. well, I guess I got that one wrong in the free agent contest. lol. recovering from this cornea transplant is kind of frustrating
Bay Area Sports Guy blog wrote up earlier…I believe speculation but..
Affeldt deal will be 3/18
Scutaro 2/12
Also that Pagan wants 5/60. Dont see that happening.
I think Affeldt and Scutaro are doable in terms of re-signing. But Pagan is who worries me a bit. I would love to have Pagan back for 2013, but for how much and how many years? We have Gary Brown waiting in the wings, and if he’s ready to nab center field, than what do we do with Pagan? Pagan probably wouldn’t be happy moving out of CF, and Brown has only played 6 games out of center defensively. Left Field is still a question for us in 2013, and Pence becomes a free agent after next season. So it’s not a measure of whether there would be any spots open in the outfield (unless we sign Pence and/or somebody else long-term), but rather if Pagan or Brown would be willing to move out of center. I think Pagan has a good chance of returning, but I’m afraid that Sabean will overpay for him.
I agree I would love to have Pagan back, but not at 5/60. I say give him 3 years max, even if it’s 10mil per.
Pagan at 5/60 is a bad deal (too many years IMO). Pagan was a 3rd/4th OF before this year. Pagan had a few good streaks this year, mainly from August through the Post Season. If the Giants can’t sign Pagan, they need to try to sign a similar style player or Power Hitting LF and let Blanco take of CF.
I never said it was. But with the Giants just coming off a championship, they will do whatever it takes to bring the same players out to repeat next season, a similar tactic performed after 2010. For example, Sabean signed Huff to a 2 yr/22 mil. contract with an option for the third year. Some say he overpaid because it just exemplified a career year for Huff (which turned out to be true) while others said it was a fair deal (me being in that audience, except for the option for the third year). As much as Pagan is commanding, I think the front office will at least aggressively go after him given his presence in the lineup. I’m a bit cautiousness as to whether he can repeat this year, given the ups and downs he had throughout the duration of his career as you menitoned. But if they don’t resign him, who leads off? The only viable option would be Blanco, and that’s only if he hits like he did at the beginning of the year up to when interleague play started. So it’s a bit of a difficult situation for the Giants to face.
Well deserved payday for Affeldt. Would love to have that lefty in TEX (not happening thou).
Good, sounds like Affeldt will be back next year. He really is one of the best 7th or 8th innings guys. Lefties can’t touch him, and righties have a hard time as well. He’s been nothing short of fantastic in his Giants career, he has earned his pay for sure. I don’t think his age is really a huge issue, a lot of relievers can pitch with success late into their careers, at 33 he hasn’t shown any sort of loss of velocity really. Scutaro will be back as well, he mad 6m last year, I could see him in the 2 year 16-18m area with the Giants. Like others have said, Pagan is the issue. He’d be nice to have around, but his demands are a bit higher. I might be inclined to sign a Nick Swisher or BJ Upton and wait for Gary Brown to be the leadoff guy in a few years, rather than commit so long to Pagan, who realistically won’t be worth 12m by the back end of the deal.
I don’t think Swisher or Upton will be cheaper than Pagan. In fact, I think both of them are looking for more than the 50-60 mil. Pagan is seeking. Upton might have a hard time achieving that despite his 5-tool potential because he hasn’t achieved that potential fully since 2007-08. I think Swish though will get more than Pagan because of he’s been more consistent throughout his career by hitting for power and getting on base on both sides of the plate. That being said though, I doubt he gets the 100 mill. deal he said he was seeking earlier this year.
I’d prefer a 2 year deal, but think that Affeldt turns the Giants BP from good to great. Affeldt can get both LH and RH hitters and can pitch multiple innings if needed. He’s been Bochy’s security blanket. Too me he’s the most important FA that we need to sign as I don’t think he can be replaced by just one player. Hope the Giants have enough to since Pagan and Scutaro and add a decent right-handed LF. .
That would be a good signing only if he stays away from frozen burgers and stop hanging out at the dugout steps.