An extension for Gregory Polanco has been a hot topic this year. The Pirates made Polanco an offer during Spring Training, which was rejected. Earlier this week, Polanco said he was still open to negotiations on a deal. Jon Heyman has the latest on where the two sides stand, which apparently is still far apart.
Heyman says that the Pirates have made a few offers for different lengths, including one believed to be a ten-year extension, starting in 2015, which would have paid a total of $75 M. Heyman says the majority of the money would have come through non-guaranteed option years.
The original extension offer was for seven years, with three option years. That would have started in 2014, so this new offer would give the Pirates one additional year. The reported salary of the original deal was up to $60 M, but that was believed to include potential Super Two raises. It’s hard to say how the new offer compares, since it probably doesn’t include Super Two raises, and it includes an extra free agent year. It is for more reported money, but that extra year could be a big part of that.
Heyman says that the current offers are thought to be only slightly higher than the ones during the Spring. He also says that the belief is that it might be hard to give Polanco more than Starling Marte got, since Polanco has only been in the majors for a few weeks, and Marte was in the majors for a year and a half before getting his deal.
Both sides are discussing deals, as Heyman says Polanco has countered at least two times. He says that those deals also aren’t much lower than his previous counter offers.
It seems that both sides are sticking to their initial demands, and inching closer to each other. Heyman says the Pirates new offers are slightly higher, and Polanco’s new offers are slightly lower. That doesn’t make it sound like a deal is close. I still wouldn’t be surprised if a deal eventually gets completed, as it seems both sides are really interested in an extension. I just wouldn’t expect a deal anytime soon.
