San Diego Padres exercise Adrian Gonzalez option for 2011
The National League season may have concluded but the hunt for the free agents is on. The World Series ended on Monday and now with the tournament over and the next season far away, ball clubs in Major League Baseball are looking to exercise their contract
options on the players. The free agents in the league are estimated to be around 142 and with Cliff Lee joining their ranks, top teams are out to sign the best crop of ball players scattered across the region.
The San Diego Padres were unlucky this season and every baseball fan knows that the ball club messed up their chances to move on to the playoffs after losing 10 games straight. It doesn’t come as a surprise to see the side pay heavily as their lack of focus
in the last few weeks got the San Francisco Giants through. The hardest thing to realize would have been the fact that their rivals went on to win the National League Championship and the World Series.
The Padres are however, aiming to start things afresh in the next season and in doing so, they signed on with Adrian Gonzalez for $6.2 million, recently. The option for 2011 ensures the All-Star player will continue on as a first baseman for the West team.
His $9.5 million contract will expire next year and it will be interesting to see what happens to the hard hitter. Though, for now, his salary may increase by $100,000 if he avails a third Gold Glove, when the year closes off.
Adrian was a #1 pick in the amateur draft, back in 2000 and he was acquired by Florida at that time. He subsequently made his way to San Diego when the Texas Rangers, from the American League, traded him off before the start of the 2006 season. Last year,
Gonzalez steered the Padres to a playoff bid and in doing so collected a batting average of .298. Furthermore, he earned 31 home runs and batted in 101, making his season a memorable one for the fans.
Tags: