November 7, 2055
by Erwin Wardman, for the Yellow Springs Journal
Redding, CA – Veteran infielder Jeremy Pickens decided he'd had enough of GM Rob McMonigal's bugling and opted to decline his player option for 2056, passing up 12 million guaranteed at age 35, just to get out of Yellow Springs.
When Pickens signed his deal, it was clear he didn't trust McMonigal, or he would have gone longer-term. McMonigal is, from all accounts, reluctant to allow player options for just this reason. He wants to trap people in his web of incompetence for as long as possible, especially good players like Pickens. McMonigal will tell you it's because he wants roster certainty and only makes rare exceptions, like Pickens and Dave Lee, but you and I know the truth, readers.
I asked Jeremy here at his home in Redding, California, why he chose to opt out.
"It was nothing against Yellow Springs, and I'm especially sad to lose my infield partner, Hunter [Dong-po Thum], because we had such a link we even got injured together all the time. But my agent tells me there's lots of team with lots of money and I would be foolish not to cash in. This is likely my last big contract year. I could be looking at 12, 13, or maybe even 15 million a year if I play my cards right."
"So it wasn't about the losing," I asked.
"I mean, sure, losing sucks. No one wants to be on a losing team. But there's always two teams out there, man, and we play, I mean, the Nine play in the Heartland. It's the best division in baseball. It's so damned hard to win games against Nashville, Omaha, even Loserville is tough."
"Would you go back?"
"Sure, if the deal is right. I closed the door, Erwin, I didn't slam it."
Very diplomatic.
Pickens was signed in 2051, when Collins was still the GM, and extended in 2053, with rumors swirling at the time that McMonigal would have preferred a different path but was pressured into the signing by owner Bo Jordan. Pickens was selected as an (injured) all-star that year. I wrote at the time that "...a player option for 12 million in 2056, which Pickens is likely to decline if he's still playing well at just 34 years of age when he gets to decide if he's had enough of McMonigal's mismanagement." This is why true fans of the Yellow Springs Nine look to me first for their news and analysis, because I was once again spot on.
Pickens' career with the Nine was 608 games, 606 hits, 94 home runs, and 338 RBIs, good for a batting average of .268 and a WAR of 14.5. His best year was, unsurprisingly, both his contract year and the year where McMonigal had the least influence on the team in his tenure, 2053, where had a WAR of 4.0 and batted .286 in 137 games. While his production in 2055 (.268/25 HR/2.9 WAR) were quite good, there are some league sources who are questioning his decision to leave, citing his age, the fact that he doesn't play a premium position, and that other top players are likely to take most of the money available.
"It's a hard call," said one source, "but you have to give him credit for betting on himself."
McMonigal actually took my call for a change, and had this to say:
"We really value Jeremy as a person and a player. He's going to see if he can do better than 12 million, and I really hope he does, because he'd deserve it. I'm definitely in talks with his agent, and we'll see what happens."
The best that can happen for Pickens is to take the money and run far, far away from McMonigal.
