Jason Bartlett pens two-year deal with San Diego Padres
There isn’t supposed to be confusion here when one reads the news that has come out of San Diego, recently. Last month, Jason Bartlett moved to the Padres on a trade deal. Now the ace shortstop has gone a step further on his move by signing a crunching two-year
deal. The valuation on the contract is estimated to be around $11 million. The pact brings to the table a vesting option for 2013 as well.
The pay off from the deal will avail Bartlett $4 million this year, $5.5 million in 2012 and a possible option of another $5.5 million, if the vesting option is taken up in 2013. An added feature to the deal imparts a $1.5 million buyout option as well.
Padres didn’t waste time to move in for the club player as the arbitration process lingered on.
Risking a salary raise with a possibility of losing Jason to free agency at the end of the 2011 major league season wasn’t deemed acceptable by the club management. Hence that brought the deal to the surface. One of the things to consider about Jason is
his consistency level at the shortstop position. The veteran has appeared in at least 125 games each season, and that brings value to his credit. The Padres have never had a player go that far on the shortstop position since Khalil Greene made 153 appearances
in 2007.
"His value is in that he does everything well. He brings a ton to a team. He's a winning player," Padres general manager Jed Hoyer said. "I don't think it was a fluke that the year they went to the World Series, he was the team MVP despite not having gaudy
numbers."
Last season saw three men appear on the position for the Padres. Jerry Hairston Jr. played 62 games on that position, followed by Everth Cabrera who managed 61 games, and Miguel Tejada who steered 58 appearances on the shortstop area. Now with Jason on the
position and Orlando Hudson on the second baseman field, the Padres liken their chances in the coming season.
"Last year, going into the season, we felt fairly good about where we were up the middle," Hoyer said. "But it wasn't to be in a lot of ways. Up the middle was an area of weakness. I think we've gotten stronger there this year."
It has to be seen how Bartlett performs for the Padres when the season kicks off in April. One thing is for sure though; the management at the club will be hoping to see their luck run hot on the shortstop position.
Tags: