2 more years for Freel

[edabbs44]

"I will still play the game the way it's supposed to be played. That's what people expect. They don't expect much."

I had no idea that Narron also wrote speeches for people.

[Strikes Out Looking]

$7 million for two years. It's a steal.

[oneupper]

The REDS are hustling themselves into being a below average offense.

New Motto: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of SCRAPPINESS.

[pedro]

Originally Posted by Strikes Out Looking

$7 million for two years. It's a steal.

Seems like a good deal for the Reds. The wouldn't be able to get a player of Freel's versatility for that much money on the open market and he'd likely get more than that in arbitration.

[Sea Ray]

Originally Posted by Strikes Out Looking

$7 million for two years. It's a steal.

Yeah. If I'm Krivsky I do that deal

[Benihana]

Originally Posted by Strikes Out Looking

$7 million for two years. It's a steal.

agreed, I'll take it. He would have gotten more in arbitration, and he's still very tradeable once Denorfia comes back next year to be the 4th OF/KGJ insurance policy.

[kaldaniels]

Originally Posted by BRM

Per Fay

Absolutely a reasonable contract. Nice work front office.

[Falls City Beer]

Freel's a winner. It doesn't hurt to have winners on your roster or your payroll.

[dabvu2498]

Chone Figgins is making $3.5 million this year.

Good deal for the Reds.

[RedEye]

Now that I see the amount, I'm more positive about this signing. Good job by Krivsky.

[Redsland]

Originally Posted by REDREAD

so it looks like Wayne is gambling that Freel is on the rise and he's getting a bargain now, because there's no risk of FA.

Of course, Freel is 31 years old and has steady (rather than rising) numbers.

[CTA513]

Did anyone see C. Trent Rosecrans blog?

Freel's presser was interesting. The deal is two more years - 3 mil in 2008 4 in 09. He said: 'I'm overpaid'

Was amazing. Basically he said he's lucky to do what he's doing, and if anything he can now afford (financially) to be more reckless. A scary thought, but probably not possible

What was also interesting was that Freel started on his own about how the team needs to get Josh Hamilton at-bats, that Hamilton is the most talented guy on the team and is a future All-Star, and if he has to sit or play the infield to get Hamilton on the field, he'll do it.

"He's a game-changing guy, I'm not," Freel said.

There was also a point where he said he'd take the league minimum to play, just so he's playing. Wayne Krivsky said to that, "That's why guys have agents."

[Redsland]

Originally Posted by CTA513

There was also a point where he said he'd take the league minimum to play, just so he's playing. Wayne Krivsky said to that, "That's why guys have agents."

[jmcclain19]

No mention of any team options in 2010? That team option seems to be the Krivsky MO of contract extensions.

For what it's worth - that now gives the Reds $58.225Mil in committed salary for 2008 on 13 players. That figure is including if they pick up the $13mil option on Dunn, the $2.25mil option on Cormier, the $1.85mil option on Hatteberg and the $1.3mil option on Valentin. Without those options it's $39.825mil for 9 players.

And to add a cherry on top - the Reds owe $2.5 mil to Arroyo next season as a signing bonus.

Under Contract
Arroyo
Harang
Weathers
Stanton
Ross
Castro
Gonzalez
Freel
Junior

Option Year
Cormier
Hatteberg
Valentin
Dunn

Free Agents
Conine
Lohse

Arb Eligible
Sarloos

Pre-Arbitration
Belisle
Elizardo
Majewski
Bray
Burton
Shackelford
Coffey
Encarnacion
Phillips
Denorfia
Hamilton

[REDREAD]

Originally Posted by Strikes Out Looking

$7 million for two years. It's a steal.

Well, that's better than the 9 million rotoworld guessed at.

However, the upside of this is if Freel plays well, we save some cash.
The downside is that we might've overpaid for him. He needs to flash some of that OBP he used to have in order to make this deal look good.

I still probably wouldn't have extended him, although 7 million isn't as bad.
I just don't see him playing so well that he'd sting us for more than that going year to year.