2036.2: Aztecs lock up Pendleton?
Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2018 9:27 am
Aztec Pitcher Scotty 'Doorbell' Pendleton
While Aztec fans in Mexico City broke their fasts this morning, team sources broke news that the team has reached a verbal agreement with defacto #1 SP Scotty Pendleton to a long term extension, believed to be 6 years and north of $65M. Details of the extension are a bit dodgy as of yet but it is believed to be a front loaded deal, fitting the S.O.P. of team GM Fred Holmes. The one thing that the sources agree on to a man is that Pendleton has not put pen to paper as of yet. The Aztec GM was not forthcoming with info on the negotiations, stating that he "will not be commenting on contract negotiations that exist only hypothetically."
An extension at this point would buy out Pendleton's last year of arbitration (at an estimated rate of around $7.5M) and keep him with the club until 2042, when Pendleton will be 32. The extension is not without risk for the team though. After a breakout 2035 campaign that saw Pendleton post a 15-3 record and a 3.48 ERA, 2036 has been a slogging frustration for Pendleton as a concerning uptick in homeruns and a decrease in strikeouts has caused his ERA to grow a full point to 4.34 and his record to sink to 9-12. The team is wagering that a return to form is in the cards and the Pendleton will be a frontline starter for the next several seasons. Time will tell if Pendleton, who has been an every other year type of player, will reward the Aztec front office for their quick strike but, if nothing else, this is just the latest example of Mexico City GM Fred Holmes rewarding one of his homegrown players with a long term commitment.