TVT 2043.13 - Extensions

[StormZ_23]

There has not been much great news to report on in Vancouver. The relocation rumors that stemmed in the off-season are still prevalent, the team is only slightly better than last year, and fan interest continues to fall. The outlook does not look great right now. However, recently the team decided to do something that they have not done in a long time, due to the fact that many of their best players are not eligible for free agency for a few more years. The team decided to hand out extensions instead of waiting for arbitration.

The first extension they handed out was to Fernando Castillo. The left fielder is having the best season of his career with 4.0 WAR in 90 games. He was the Mounties lone representative in the all star game as a result. Castillo may be an underdog in the Silk race at the end of the season. Mounties fans have always loved Castillo and the same can be said by the players in the locker room. Castillo has been proclaimed the leader of the Mounties locker room. The next player to get an extension was 2041 Silk recipient Angel Gonzalez. Gonzalez, another fan favorite, may not be having the season that Castillo is having, but 2 WAR in 87 games is nothing to scoff at. The question that all fans have is whether Gonzalez can ever replicate that spectacular 2041 season, especially considering he received $3 million more than Castillo. Well, apart from Castillo, it does not look like any Mountie has been able to replicate their 2041 season.

As a result of these extensions, fan interest has gone up slightly. Although, there is one more outfielder the Mounties have yet to sign, that player is Jeffrey Smith. Smith was the first of the three outfielders to make the major leagues, so he is closer to free agency. Could the team be negotiating a multi year extension with Smith? Or could he be on the trading block?