Jered Weaver signs $85 million five-year extension with Los Angeles Angels – MLB Update
The news that has created a new thrill in baseball circles was astonishing at first glance. The gritty hurler Jered Weaver has signed five-year extension deal worth $85-million with the Los Angeles Angels to stay until 2016. There was huge speculation among
the Weaver fans that the ace would leave Anaheim as a free agent after the 2012 season.
The deal will officially be announced on Tuesday, August 23 when the team officials will arrange a News Conference. According to sources, the camp will announce to keep the granular right-hand ball thrower in Los Angeles through 2016 year.
With average annual value of $17-million, Weaver will become the highest paid hurler in the American League’s club’s history. The franchise has awarded the second highest ever contract to the 28-year-old pitcher after Torii Hunter signed $90-million for
five years before 2008.
According to sources, the deal was evident far before Weaver got his fourteenth win of the season. The right-hand pitcher now has 14-6 record with an American League-leading 2.10 earned runs average. This has increased his chances to be an AL Cy Young Award
winner.
The biggest problem Weaver fans were facing was the strained relations between the Angels’ owner Arte Moreno and Weaver’s agent Scott Boras. Agent was on the opinion to be a free agent, as to earn maximum dollars from any other team or the same franchise.
There were also few speculations of Weaver’s harsh feelings with the Angels after he lost his arbitration case last year. Weaver had to receive only $7.365 million in this season.
However, Boras denied all the allegations filed against him and maintained that he had no problem in discussing the matters with the team officials. He further said that the finalised deal portrays that there was no any harsh times between the parties. He
added that both parties have shown they can cooperate at any matter for the good of a team and player.
His five-year deal is a same as Justin Verlander signed $80-million with the Detroit Tigers and Felix Hernandez agreed with Seattle Mariners before 2010. However, both those hurlers were beat Weaver, signing two years before their arbitration period. However,
Weaver also beat former team-mate John Lackey, who had signed $82.5-million five-year contract in 2010.
Playing for his sixth big league season, Weaver has posted a 78-45 record with a 3.30 strong ERA in 1084 innings. He has also made 937 strike-outs including last year’s Major League Leading 233 strike-outs.
With the type of form Weaver currently playing in Majors, the experts believe he can also become the most dangerous hurler of the 2011 regular season. however, he still need to work on his changeups to move critics in his favour.
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