[mikev]

Extensions... And Not.

In putting together some of the pieces for next season (and beyond), the Crusaders announced that shortstop Antonio Alvarado and pitcher George Adams were both signed to multiyear contract extensions, as well as SS/3B Rafael Lopez and reliever Hsin-ta Jin.

Alvarado, 32, signed a two year deal that will pay him just over $13.8 Million each season. An elite level defensive player, Alvarado's bat isn't exactly world beating. His career OPS is just over .750, and he's slightly below that this season. However, his defense is enough to make up for it, as his .986 fielding percentage and range factor of nearly 5 show. Front office personnel with the team stated that the Crusaders were intent on getting Alvarado inked, as the package of players given up to aquire him this season would have been tough to swallow for a rental player.

Adams signed a 3 year deal, buying out all 3 seasons of arbitration. He will earn $2.7 Million per season, and given his talent bump and projected #1/#2 status for next season, it appears that the Crusaders will save a hefty amount of money in the second and third years of the deal. Until he lumps, that is. This season Adams has pitched 234 innings with a 3.99 ERA, a 1.34 WHIP, and an 18-12 record in 35 starts.

Lopez, the popular 27 year old who converted to third base after the team traded for Alvarado, still had two years of arbitration left. The team elected to give him a raise next season and buy out a free agent year, keeping him with California until the end of his age 30 season. Lopez is having a bit of a down season, but it's mostly due to a horrific month of August, and we expect him to keep putting up a .750 OPS for the next few years.

Jin was basically extended to fill the hole left by the death of Luis Vargas, who is likely to be released by the team in order to avoid arbitration. Jin, at age 38 the oldest player on the team, is still reasonably effective with 11 saves and a 2.54 ERA. His high strikeout rate should allow him to remain effective in limited setup roles, and he is only getting a 100 thousand dollar pay increase.

While the team continues to negotiate with Javier Gallegos, it appears that the slugger's contract demands are going to be more than California is willing to pay. The other power hitter the team had left, Michel Frechette, has indicated that he wants to test free agency and will not listen to any contract offers from the team. I'm not really sure what the market for 35 year olds with ****ty OBPs that can't hit lefties are, but I guess he's determined to find out. He does have 25 homers though, and chicks dig the longball, so I'm sure somebody will give him a deal.