Heyman: Ethier, Dodgers nearing extension

This is a far cry from his stance at this time last year
I wonder what's changed (sarcasm)...

Ethier confident he'll get deal from new owners
By Ken Gurnick / MLB.com | 06/08/12 11:44 PM ET

SEATTLE -- Club president Stan Kasten tweeted that he expects Andre Ethier will be a Dodger for a very long time, and Nez Balelo, Ethier's agent, is in Seattle this weekend. So, too, is Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti.

Coincidence?

Apparently so, said Balelo, who said he was in town because he represents Mariners pitcher Jason Vargas.

Nonetheless, Ethier seems to have more confidence that new club ownership will wrap him up before he's a free agent this winter, but so far, nothing is concrete.

"Nothing's changed, they haven't made anything that I'm aware of," said Ethier. "Maybe they made something to my agent, but I told him not to tell me until there's something for me to consider. I'll keep playing and helping the guys win.

"I expect to be here a long time, and both sides have expressed that. They want me here and I want to be here. Mutually, both sides want me here. Obviously, this is a good fit. It's where I want to be and a great opportunity to play with these guys who have put a lot of hard work in, and I hope we continue what we're doing right now."​

 

Tweeted by Jon heyman

 

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/j...-dodgers-cose-to-an-85-million-five-year-deal

 

Nice, like Kemp it had to be done even at a high price. Would definitely get something similar if not more in the open market so good to keep him

 

So pumped he's in Dodger blue for a long time damn

 

Ethier left it without a no trade clause just so all the Boston fans can pretend they will get him just like they have for years but no way he's traded unless he's absolute shit and dodgers dump him but doubt that

 

:finger:

 

Dodgers To Extend Andre Ethier
By Steve Adams [June 12 at 12:22am CST]



The Dodgers have reached an agreement on a five-year, $85MM extension with Andre Ethier according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale (on Twitter). Jon Heyman of CBS Sports was the first to report that the two sides were near the extenstion, and added that the contract contains a sixth year vesting option (Twitter links).

Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times added that the vesting option would likely push the deal to $100MM total. Hernandez goes on to say that the deal is expected to be finalized tomorrow. The proposed contract would pay Ethier $13.5MM in 2013, $15MM in 2014, $18MM in 2015-16, and $17.5MM in 2017. The option for 2018 would be for another $17.5MM with a $2.5MM buyout (All Twitter links).

​

We've heard about a possible Ethier extension several times over the past few months, and the right fielder has said recently that he wouldn't put a deadline on negotiations. The 30-year-old is making $10.95MM this season after avoiding arbitration with a one-year contract this past winter.

Ethier has spent his entire career in Dodger blue after he was traded to L.A. from Oakland in exchange for Milton Bradley and Antonio Perez. Ethier boasts a solid .291/.363/.482 slash line for his career, but has a less-than-stellar defensive reputation. Ultimate Zone Rating hasn't been kind to him, rating him as 6.2 runs below average per 150 games in more than 5,700 career innings. The other big question with Ethier lies in his durability; he's spent time on the disabled list in each of the past two seasons.

MLBTR's Dan Mennella examined the CAA Sports client's free agent stock in April, noting that he had the best chance at landing a big contract among upcoming free agent right fielders.

As MLBTR's Extension Tracker shows, general manager Ned Colletti has locked up the two cornerstones of his team's outfield in the past calendar year. Colletti signed Matt Kemp to a franchise-record, eight-year, $160MM contract this offseason. Colletti also signed ace Clayton Kershaw to a two-year extension worth $19MM and signed Tony Gwynn Jr. to a two-year, $2MM deal this offseason.

A formal announcement is expected on Tuesday, at which point Ethier will officially be the owner of the third-largest contract in Dodgers history, behind Kemp and Kevin Brown.