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The San Francisco Giants spent much of their offseason making sure that they could get as much of the old band back together as possible, even bringing a few ringers back from the original 2010 campaign. With that now accomplished, the club has started making headway on their next big step: locking up Buster Posey on a long-term contract extension.
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Talks between the Giants and their MVP catcher are now underway, though they are still a ways from reaching an agreement, reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports:
Word is, there's a decent-sized gap at this point, though not enough of a gap that the team or Posey has given up trying. Posey surely would like to be a Giant for life if at all possible, and the Giants, run by very smart and deep-pocketed people, wouldn't be opposed to such an arrangement, either, if it can be accomplished.
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It was reported a few weeks ago that the two sides had exchanged "preliminary ideas," but at the time it was thought that the deal would buy out Posey's three remaining years of arbitration only. Now, however, it appears that the Giants may be looking to extend the young catcher well beyond arbitration.
Per Heyman, while the club has not spoken publicly about a long-term deal, the discussions are "definitely ongoing." Heyman adds that the club may eventually settle for a three-year deal, but that they will exhaust their longer-term options first.
Posey, soon to be 26, is coming off an MVP season and has led his club to two titles in his two years as a full-time player, so he'll be anything but cheap for the Giants to lock down. The backstop already set the record for a first-year arbitration settlement this winter with his $8 million contract for 2013, and could be in line for a 10-year extension similar to Derek Jeter's $189 million deal with the Yankees when all is said and done, speculates Heyman.
A Super-Two player, at the moment Posey is set to become a free agent following the 2016 season, when he will be still be just 29.
