Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim ace pitcher Jered Weaver agreed to terms for a contract extension with his team. The contract agreement calls for five years and $85 million and will keep Weaver in Anaheim through the 2016 season. At the time of this agreement, Weaver had a career record of 78-45 and 3.40 ERA in 5+ seasons, all with the Angels. He has also pitched 20.2 post-season innings, allowing only six earned runs to lead himself to a 2-1 record. In the 2009 post season, his most recent, Weaver allowed only four runs and seven hits while striking out 14 in 13.2 innings.
Weaver’s extension eliminates the time that he would have reached his first free agent period after the 2012 season. I consider this contract a bargain for the Angels. Weaver led the American League in ERA (2.10) and had a record of 14-6 for 2011 at the time of the announcement. He earned the starting role in the 2011 All-Star game, and he projects to become even better throughout his new contract period. We cannot predict how much he could have demanded – and received – if he had tested the free agent market.
Any team would love to have Weaver on its pitching staff. He not only wins, but he also pitches deeper into the game than most other starters. In 2009 and 2010, he averaged 217.2 innings pitched, which averages out to reaching the seventh inning in each start. Reaching the seventh inning means getting to the setup man and closer without burning out the middle relief. In 2011, through August 24, he completed four games and pitched 188.1 innings and was on pace to surpass 245 innings should manager Mike Scioscia allow it.
It is great to see some loyalty between team and player. Fans may envy professional athletes’ salaries, but Weaver could have made far more in the free agent market. Whatever his reasons for agreeing to the extension, he gives Angels fans something that all sports fans want and deserve to see: loyalty. Fans in Anaheim will repay the favor.
Sources:
Yahoo! Sports News and Notes, Jered Weaver, sports.yahoo.com.
Angels Baseball, Jered Weaver, losangeles.angels.mlb.com.
Raymond became a baseball fan at a very early age. He grew up watching games at every opportunity. He played through high school and soon after became a varsity coach. While coaching junior high at his current school, he learned more about baseball from varsity coaches who previously played in the Major Leagues. Raymond currently coaches Little League in Florida but previously produced radio sports talk shows and hosted a weekly baseball radio call-in show.
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