Blowing in the Wind 2056.1: Team in Dilemma: Pedro Guzman Opts Out

[aaronweiner]

Last season, Jacksonville wasted no time in re-signing midseason acquisition Donald Miller to a four-year deal, and it proved to be an excellent decision, as Miller had the fifth-best year of his successful fourteen-year major league career. This year, the team will have to deal with another situation just like Miller's: Pedro Guzman. Or do they?

"I'd love to end my career here in Jacksonville," said Guzman. "However, the team has been hesitant to re-sign me for my fair market value."

Guzman was acquired with a contract that had potentially three more years on it for considerably less money than he could potentially sign for on the open market. Next year, he was due to make $14 million, and then his contract would taper off to $10 million and then a player option for $8 million, which he was expected to decline. He opted out, and now Guzman reportedly wants four more years guaranteed and a raise, which considering his excellent late-season production in Jacksonville (.888 OPS, 35% above average) is warranted.

"We love Pedro and we want to see him back in a Jacksonville uniform," said Jacksonville GM Aaron Weiner. "We can't talk about specifics, but we've offered him several different options to return and he has turned all of them down."

That said, the team also has a reasonable argument why the two sides might be too far apart to make a deal. The veteran star DH is set to be 35 years old before the 2056 season starts, and four more years would take him into guaranteed money at age 38 in 2059. The team's cap situation makes it untenable to frontload Guzman's deal depending on his ask, since they also need to sign a second baseman. Additionally, the team has been playing former DH Pedro Hozven at first base this year to accommodate first rookie Greg Godwin, who had an excellent year, and then Guzman. Hozven struggled badly in the field and at the plate last year and the position switch may be the reason why. Finally, Guzman was a total nonfactor in the team's playoff run, posting a .631 OPS.

Sources inside the team say they are leaning towards letting Guzman walk, which is unlikely to make fans happy.

"I think the general consensus is we're thinking of looking elsewhere," said a team insider who chose to remain anonymous. "There's been discussion that what we really need is a first baseman and a second baseman and not a DH and there's even been talk of letting Jim Hopewell run with the job and see what he does."

Some fans are unhappy with the idea of letting Guzman walk; they have set up a website "Vote for Pedro," after the Napoleon Dynamite meme. Others, however, are potentially resigned to the idea that Guzman might not be back next season.

"He's such a great player, but we know he didn't do anything for Portland at all and that's why we could get him," said Jacksonville fan Ian Michael. "This situation really blows, and I would know. I wish the team could just re-sign him but after this year and last year we trust them to figure it out."

[Trebro]

Negotiating the minefield that is these amazing 35 or so year old players sure is interesting.

[aaronweiner]

Negotiating the minefield that is these amazing 35 or so year old players sure is interesting.

Well, I took his money and signed Daniel Pepper, and so I'm right back in the same boat minus the fact that Pepper is a second baseman, not a DH.