Sox Bargain Gets Cheaper: Wakefield Agrees to 2-Year Contract

by Ben Buchanan on Nov 9, 2009 5:03 PM EST

Thanks to Drugs Delaney for breaking the news here on OTM.

Long said to be one of the best bargains in baseball, Tim Wakefield's perpetual $4 million team option will not be picked up for the first time since 2005. Instead, the Red Sox today signed him to a two-year deal worth $5 million with incentives thought to be worth a maximum of $2 million. Those 2 years should gives him a good shot at taking over some team records--not a surprise, given his lengthy tenure with the team.

For the Sox, this deal not only shaves off about a million dollars from their 2010 budget, but more importantly, given its frontloaded nature ($3.5 million in 2010, $1.5 million in 2011) gives them salary relief to spend on the impressive 2011 free agent class.

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And somewhere, NG is crying into a bottle of liquor

Wondering why the Sox are continuing to employ Wakefield.

by lone1c on Nov 9, 2009 6:22 PM EST reply actions

I <3 Wakefield

and his steady 2 WAR/year he gives us for way too little money.

by wolf9309 on Nov 9, 2009 6:34 PM EST reply actions

You really think they’re worried about clearing one million in salary from the payroll? Seriously?

by Jay on Nov 9, 2009 8:27 PM EST reply actions

Yes

And if you don’t think it matters, why didn’t they exercise his option?

That’s what good GMs are paid to do.

by Ben Buchanan on Nov 9, 2009 11:59 PM EST up reply actions

I think Wake wants to play two more years and wants to know the Sox won’t turn down his option after next year. In order to get that security, Wake had to give up a million dollars. Basically, my guess is that this was initiated from the Wakefield side, so no, I don’t think the Sox were too worried about the one million.

"Ninety percent [of my salary] I'll spend on good times, women, and Irish whiskey. The other ten percent I'll probably waste."
-Tug McGraw

by BTLove on Nov 10, 2009 12:26 AM EST up reply actions

I thought this was a joke

As a Yankee Fan this is a terrific signing. He is braking down more often and is unreliable. Next year third place after the 2009 World Champions and 2008 ALCS Winners.

by BronxBorn LifeLong on Nov 9, 2009 10:19 PM EST reply actions