Chris Sale Contract Extension

[gogosox40]

As a Sox fan I am really excited about this deal. What are some of your thoughts:

From mlbtraderumors:

The White Sox announced that they have agreed to sign Chris Sale to a five-year extension. The deal will guarantee the left-hander $32.5MM and could keep him in Chicago through 2019. Sale, a client of Jet Sports Management, emerged as a frontline starter in 2012.

“We are thrilled to be able to reward Chris for his accomplishments thus far in his career and to keep one of the best young starters in the league in a White Sox uniform for potentially the next seven years,” White Sox senior vice president/general manager Rick Hahn said.

Sale's deal covers his remaining pre-arbitration season, his three arbitration seasons, and at least one free agent year. The contract also includes club options for the 2018 and 2019 seasons. The 23-year-old will earn $850K in 2013, $3.5MM in 2014, $6MM in 2015, $9.15MM in 2016 and $12MM in 2017. The White Sox have options for $2018 ($12.5MM) and 2019 ($13.5MM) with $1MM buyouts.

The deal includes an escalator that could increase the total value of the contract to $60MM over seven years, Dan Hayes of CSNChicago.com reports (on Twitter). Sale would have to win a Cy Young to trigger the escalator.

Sale pitched like one of the American League's top starters in 2012 after contributing out of the bullpen for his first two MLB seasons. He posted a 3.05 ERA with 9.0 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 in 192 innings in 2012, earning a spot on the AL All-Star team.

As MLBTR's Extension Tracker shows, it's nothing new for pitchers with two-plus years of service to sign five-year extensions worth $30MM or so. Jonathon Niese, Derek Holland, Trevor Cahill, Yovani Gallardo and Jon Lester are among the pitchers who signed these deals. Typically the extensions include at least one club option.

 

[cgilmo]

[h=3]White Sox Press Release[/h] 3/7/2013 3:22 P.M. ET
[h=1]White Sox and Chris Sale agree to terms on five-year contract with two club options[/h]
GLENDALE, Ariz. - The Chicago White Sox have agreed to terms on a five-year, $32.5-million contract with left-handed pitcher Chris Sale, which includes club options for the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
Under terms of the contract, Sale, who turns 24 on March 30, will receive $850,000 in 2013, $3.5 million in 2014, $6.0 million in 2015, $9.15 million in 2016 and $12 million in 2017. The White Sox hold options for 2018 at $12.5 million and for 2019 at $13.5 million. If either option is declined, Sale will receive a $1.0-million buyout.
Sale went 17-8 with a 3.05 ERA (65 ER/192.0 IP) and 192 strikeouts in 2012, his first professional season as a starting pitcher, was selected to his first American League All-Star Team and finished sixth in Cy Young Award voting.
His 192 strikeouts were the most by a White Sox left-hander since Floyd Bannister fanned 198 in 1985, and his 17 victories were the most by a Sox lefty since Mark Buehrle won 19 in 2002.
"We are thrilled to be able to reward Chris for his accomplishments thus far in his career and to keep one of the best young starters in the league in a White Sox uniform for potentially the next seven years," said Rick Hahn, White Sox senior vice president/general manager.
The 6-foot-6, 180-pounder ranked among the AL leaders last season in numerous categories, including ERA (4th), strikeouts per 9.0 IP (4th, 9.0), wins (T4th), winning percentage (T5th, .680), opponents average (6th, .235), opponents on-base percentage (6th, .291), strikeout-to-walk ratio (8th, 3.76) and strikeouts (9th).
Sale recorded 11 or more strikeouts four times in 2012, joining Ed Walsh (four in 1910) and Javier Vazquez (four in 2006) as the only pitchers in White Sox history to accomplish the feat. He became the fifth White Sox pitcher to strike out 13-plus batters twice in one season (15 on May 28 at Tampa Bay and 13 on August 22 vs. New York-AL).
In two-plus seasons with Chicago, Sale has gone 21-11 with a 2.89 ERA (92 ER/286.1 IP) and 303 strikeouts in 109 games (29 starts), holding opponents to a .223 (234-1,048) average.
Sale was selected by the White Sox in the first round (13th overall) in 2010 and was the only member of that draft class to play in the major leagues that season. He had been on pace to be arbitration eligible for the first time following the 2013 season and a free agent following the 2016 season.

 

[P_Manning 18]

Smart move.

 

[markakis8]

Smart move.

Agreed. If he pitches like he did last year for the next 5 years, it will be a steal.

 

[kerryfan5]

I think 3 years is the max for any pitcher. To risky.

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[ballerskrip]

I think 3 years is the max for any pitcher. To risky.

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Ehhh, I tend to disagree. This is the ONLY way to keep your young studs affordable in years 4-8. If you don't you are screwed and you will be paying $15 million per year MUCH faster.

 

[kerryfan5]

Look at tampa winning with letting pitchers go. Worrying about big money contracts is dumb for a team to do. Just trade pitchers when they are up for 15 a year. Pitching ia the biggest risk in baseball

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[markakis8]

Ehhh, I tend to disagree. This is the ONLY way to keep your young studs affordable in years 4-8. If you don't you are screwed and you will be paying $15 million per year MUCH faster.

Wholeheartedly agree. Rays did a smart thing with Matt Moore as well.

 

[markakis8]

Look at tampa winning with letting pitchers go. Worrying about big money contracts is dumb for a team to do. Just trade pitchers when they are up for 15 a year. Pitching ia the biggest risk in baseball

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Yeah but we are talking $7-8 million a year compared to $15...if the Rays could sign David Price for 5 years $40 million....I guarantee they would do it.

 

[ballerskrip]

Look at tampa winning with letting pitchers go. Worrying about big money contracts is dumb for a team to do. Just trade pitchers when they are up for 15 a year. Pitching ia the biggest risk in baseball

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Did you forget about Matt Moore? And the long term deal they signed him to?

 

[Pine Tar]

Smart move by the Whitesox and I see his cards going up soon

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[coltsfan23]

Yeah, this deal is a bargain for the White Sox, especially when you consider the average salary/year for a SP and the continued escalation of salaries in the near future.

 

[Crewfan82]

Smart move, there is always risk, but I think it is worth it on a guy like Sale. Unless you are a big market team you have to try to lock up young studs while you can afford them.