Dodgers Yet To Talk Extension With Kershaw, Ethier By Mike Axisa [January 5 at 5:50pm CST] The Dodgers locked up MVP candidate Matt Kemp to an eight-year, $160MM contract earlier this offseason, but they aren't close to signing any more of their core players. Dylan Hernandez of The Los Angeles Times reports (on Twitter) that the team has yet to discuss long-term contract extensions with Andre Ethier and Clayton Kershaw. Ethier, 29, is projected to earn $10.7MM in 2012, his final trip through arbitration before becoming a free agent after next season. The two-time All-Star slumped in the power department in 2011, hitting just 11 homers while battling knee and elbow problems. He's a .291/.364/.479 career hitter, though he has struggled against left-handers (.242/.302/.359) and the advanced metrics don't love his defense. The 23-year-old Kershaw can't become a free agent until after 2015, but signing him might be the more pressing issue for the Dodgers. Our model projects him to earn $8.4MM in 2012 thanks to his Cy Young Award, even though it will be just his first time through arbitration. The southpaw led the National League in wins (21), ERA (2.28) and strikeouts (248) last year, and in his three full seasons he owns a 2.63 ERA and 9.5 K/9 in 608 2/3 innings. Ben Nicholson-Smith suggested a five-year, $30MM deal for Kershaw back in August 2010, but the Dodgers can forget about that now. A contract in line with the ones signed by Felix Hernandez (five years, $78MM) and Justin Verlander (five years, $80MM) before last season are more reasonable comparables.
Unfortunately that will all be on the new owner. When are arbitration offers( dollar amounts) due? Will be interesting how close or far apart we are with them.
Not concerned about Clay right now. He still has like 3 arb years. Plenty of time. I understand why the Dodgers are waiting on Dre. He's been injured and we should see what he's got. BUT I am concerned because I get the vibe he wants to bolt, and it would be nice to lock him up because when healthy he is such a good hitter. I would hate to lose Dre.
i think dre wants two things (1) to know he's going to get paid and (2) to play for a championship caliber team a new owner with deep pockets who's willing to spend would change his attitude can't say i blame him after how close they came in '08 and '09 only to have it all fall apart because of a corrupt self-serving owner...
Ditto what you say and I suspect he can now see that the grass in Boston is not greener and has some weeds and deadspots.
Besides Pedroia, I don't see what he saw there in the first place. The Sox are always second to the Yankees. They had a nice little run a couple times this decade but for the most part they are and always have been the second best in the east. Plus, if I were a player, I wouldn't really want to switch leagues. Different players, stadiums, and atmospheres. Both sides need to put aside their pride and get a deal done. Dre would be stupid to not realize that things are going to get better soon for the Dodgers.
Both sides have their reasons to wait. If the Dodgers are going to extend him, they want to see production in the first part of the year meriting it after a down year by Ethier's standards; and if Ethier pounded the table for an extension now he would be doing so while his value was at its lowest, so it's really a double-edged sword. Plus there's also the motivation of performing at a high level to get more enticing offers to roll in if he indeed wants to be traded.
