Yesterday, the Friars continued this aforementioned trend when they signed Outfielder Chris Denorfia to a 2-year contract extension that will keep “Deno” with the ball-club through the 2014 season.  I for one tip my cap to the Front Office for making this move, so today I thought that I would share my thoughts on the extension, and why the decision to bring Denorfia back will ultimately benefit the ball-club.

Denorfia received a $4 million dollar extension earlier this week. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-US PRESSWIRE

Helps Offense

From an Offensive standpoint, Denorfia brings two important things to San Diego’s lineup: versatility and consistency.  Versatility-wise, “Deno” has the ability to hit in almost any spot in San Diego’s lineup, and has done so over the course of his career with the team.  The veteran Outfielder can hit 1st, 2nd, or 5th through 8th for the Padres, and has seen time at spots 1, 2, 5, 6, and 8 in 2012.  Anytime Denorfia is asked to start a game, Manager Bud Black can pretty much build his batting order with the knowledge that “Deno” can fill in adequately no matter where Black decides to have hit ultimately hit.

While Denorfia’s ability to hit in numerous spots in the batting order is nice, the consistency which he has displayed at the dish over the last three seasons has been what fans like me have been impressed with arguably the most.  Since coming to San Diego in 2010, Denorfia has been a model of consistency from a hitting standpoint.  Granted, “Deno” has not set the world ablaze with his stats, but he has done a far better job than a number of Padres’ Outfielders which have underwhelmed over the last three seasons:

874 At-Bats, 244 Hits, .279 Batting Average, 44 Doubles, 9 Triples, 20 Home Runs, 85 RBI’s, 80 Walks to 148 Strikeouts Ratio, and a .340 On-Base Percentage

The two statistics which I am particularly fond of above deal with Denorfia’s On-Base Percentage and Walk to Strikeout Ratio.  While other potential leadoff hitters like Cameron Maybin, Everth Cabrera, and Will Venable have had their issues with plate discipline, Denorfia has done a steady job in both that department and getting on base on a consistent basis as well.  I understand that maybe the veteran Outfielder might not possess the wheels that Maybin, Cabrera, Venable, or even Alexi Amarista do.  But “Deno’s” consistent approach has established him as one of San Diego’s most unheralded producers over the last three years, and made him a secure option for the team to turn to when his number is called..

Helps Defense & Depth

As much as I like Denorfia and his ability to hit with consistency, Denorfia has been a jack-of-all trades type of player for the Friars in the Outfield as well.  Now used as more of an option in the corner Outfield spots, Denorfia has started 149 combined games between Left and Right Fields since 2010 and committed only 4 Errors during said span.  In addition to his ability to play in the corners, Denorfia also possesses the ability to play Center Field.  Despite the fact that Maybin has developed into one of the better N.L. Centerfielders from a defensive standpoint, Denorfia is a solid and experienced backup that can come in handy.  From 2010-2012, “Deno” has started 57 games in Center Field for the Padres, has logged 690.1 Innings there over his seven year career, and even took some playing time away from Maybin when he was really struggling at the plate this season.

As I have alluded to somewhat above, having a player like Chris Denorfia on a roster is also significant from a depth perspective as well.  Even if he does not start a game, Denorfia has shown himself to be a valuable bench and role player.  Denorfia can give the Padres a solid Right-Handed bat off the bench, and has logged plenty of Pinch-Hitting experience over his career when he has not started.  And due to the fact that #13 can play all three Outfield positions, Denorfia can come in as a Defensive Replacement in the later Innings as well.

Final Thoughts

I really have to tip my hat to Denorfia, because if there was any player on this roster deserving and extension after Chase Headley, Quentin, and Huston Street, it was Chris.  Furthermore, I must credit the Padres for making yet another sensible move and locking up one of their most consistent players to an extremely cost-effective extension.  While the extension might not appear “sexy” by the media’s standards of price or player signed, the Friars did what I believe was the right thing for their ball-club. Over the next two seasons we should see exactly who the Front Office deems worthy of keeping around for the long-haul and who is integral to this team’s success.  As it stands now, “Deno” will be sticking around for an extended period, and the Padres should continue to receive some great effort and efficient play from their Outfielder.

Share your thoughts Friars Fans:  Are you happy with Denorfia’s extension?  Why or why not?

Stats Courtesy of: Baseball Reference

In the match between Nick Hundley and the Padres, the two combatants aren’t actually Hundley and the Padres, but Hundley’s agent and Josh Byrnes rather.  Sure, on some level Hundley’s agent would like the Padres to be successful, and Josh Byrnes would like to see Hundley be financial secure for the rest of his life.  But in reality, Hundley’s agent, Cameron Hahn, has one goal; to get Hundley the best contract possible.  Josh Byrnes also has one goal; to get the Padres the most cost-effective contract possible.  So, in the boxing match that was Hundley’s contract extension talks, the rounds were back and forth throughout the off-season.  There were flurries of punches as the deal got close, and awkward hugs that the referee had to break up as the two sides tabled negotiations.  But yesterday, a punch was dodged, a counter was thrown, and one side clearly won this match.  Let me score it for you.

It's worth a fist pump. The Padres and Nick Hundley reach a four year contract extension. Jake Roth-US PRESSWIRE

Cameron Hahn (and Nick Hundley) Card:

• Round One – Hundley has never played in more than 82 games in a single season, but he got a guaranteed deal – jab (one point)
• Round Two – Hundley had elbow surgery last season, but he got a guaranteed deal – cross (one point)
• Round Three – Hunldey is a 28-year old catcher, but he got a guaranteed deal – cross, jab combo (two points)
• Round Four – In only 50% of Hundley’s seasons has he broke the 1 WAR barrier – jab (one point

Josh Byrnes (and the Padres) Card:

• Round One – For an average of $3.5 million per year*, Byrnes locked up a 28-year old catcher who put up 2.7 WAR last season – right hook (two points)
• Round Two – Byrnes bought out one year of Hundley’s free agency years for $5 million.* – jab (one point)
• Round Three – Byrnes locked up a Petco Park veteran who hits better at home than away (.271 BA vs. .240 BA) for a grand total of $14 million – cross (one point)
• Round Four – Byrnes paid $14 million for four years of service from Hundley, and saved the Padres upwards of $3.5 million (breakdown below) – dodge and upper-cut (knock-out blow)

*The four years and the $14 million assume the Padres pick up the club option for 2015. 

Let’s recap the knock-out punch thrown by Josh Byrnes in the fourth round of this match.  Nick Hundley had three years of arbitration eligibility ahead of him, and one year of free agency included in this contract. Free agent value is a little easier to calculate than arbitration value, but we can get a good idea of arbitration value based on past contracts.  It’s been well-documented that arbitrators are behind the statistical times.  They value power and runs batted in over just about anything else.  At first glance, it looks as if Hundley has limited power (30 home runs in four seasons) and doesn’t play enough to drive in much (126 RBI in four seasons).  However, extrapolating Hundley’s numbers over the course of a 162 game season gives us numbers close to 20 home runs and anywhere from 60-85 RBI.  Those are the types of power numbers that make an arbitrator think long and hard.

MLB Trade Rumors predicted Hundley’s 2012 arbitration salary to be $1.6 million.  The Padres gave him $2 million to avoid arbitration, so we’ll use that as our actual arb value.  Assuming, Hundley continues to improve as a hitter, he would have easily been worth $4 million through arbitration in 2013, and he could have possibly been worth $5 million in 2014.  Right there, the team saved themselves $2 million ($3 million owed in 2013 and $4 million in 2014 with the new contract).

As for Hundley’s free agent year, if the Padres pick up the club option, we must look at his average WAR.  Over his past four seasons, Hundley has averaged 1.3 WAR.  He is likely a 2 WAR player, but for the sake of this argument we will use the average.  One WAR is thought to be worth $5 million in free agency money.  If that’s the case, Hundley’s 2015 free agency year should be worth at least $6.5 million.  With the contract the Padres and Hundley agreed to, the team saves another $1.6 million there.

There’s a saying that goes something like, “a good negotiation leaves both sides feeling as if they lost something.”  Well, in the case of the Padres and Nick Hundley, the Padres probably don’t have that feeling.  Hundley may not have that feeling.  But Hundley’s agent should.  This was a contract negotiation with a clear winner and a clear loser.  At the end of three rounds, as fictionally scored above, the two sides were dead even. While Hahn scored one point for Hundley in the fourth round, Byrnes made it a moot point with his knock out blow.

Josh Byrnes has done nothing but impress since taking over as the Padres GM.  This contract extension is just another shining example of his ability to build a small-market team.  Nick Hundley will get the financial security he deserves, but Byrnes did not over pay.  In fact, he may have saved the Padres quite a bit of money.

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