Several of the major sports news channels have been talking about how our FA to be CF has likely hurt his chances to sign a huge contract with his poor play. Even if he hits his career mark the rest of the way he'll finish at .238/.327/.455, the worst line since his 1997 rookie campaign. That hurts. However, hitting up to his career mark is not out of the question if he hits like Chipper the rest of the year. I think he's boned, but that's me.
Andruw has a few options at season's end if he finishes with the above line. First, he could sign a 1 year deal and try and improve. I'd be willing to bet the Braves would give him 1 year @ $8-10mil with performance bonuses in a heart beat. He could even probably get 1 year $14-16mil guaranteed from the Braves. The previous number is a common 1 year deal that players looking to rebuild their careers sign. Piazza is signed for $8.5mil, The Big hurt is making $5.56 (and hitting better than AJ), and Luis Gonzalez is making $7.16 mil. Two out of 3 of these contracts look like bargains but all three are older players. And that's where Andruw is unique. There hasn't really been this much of a funk by a star player who isn't injured so it's hard to compare.
Second, he could take a long term contract that's heavily incentive laden. For example. A 4 year contract with a fifth and sixth year vesting that become guaranteed at a certain trigger. This deal could start somewhere around $65mil and end somewhere near $110 mil. Not bad in the grand scheme of things. The sad thing is that if he had played even his average this year he would have gotten 8 years/$136mil easily.
Finally, he could pull a Buherle and resign with the Braves like he did last time. This last one is is a bit more likely now that this cold streak has come on. Druw is a notoriously streaky hitter and any of the big market teams that would try and sign him would have trouble stomaching that inconsistency. Think about the pressure he would be under someplace like Chicago, LA or, god forbid, New York. He'd be picked apart by the media so quickly his head would spin. A $75 mil contract for 5 years, back weighted of course, would be about right.
But who knows what will happen in the world of Scott Boras.
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Just out of curiosity, do you want him back. I sure don't. I understand his production this year. He may be a smart man, but he is a very very dumb hitter. Good riddence.
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