MLB Rumors: The Cubs Are Trying To Lock Up Starlin Castro
Chicago Cubs shortstop Stalin Castro is one of the most prized gems in the game of baseball. Even though Castro has his faults, we all have to remember he is only a 22-year old kid. But he is one of those rare five-tool players that scouts and managers drool over, which is why it comes as no surprise there are MLB Rumors swirling about a Starlin Castro extension.
August 16, 2012 8:14 pm via webReplyRetweetFavorite
Castro – who is in a bit of a cold streak – is having a decent season for the lonesome Cubs. His slash-line of .276/.307/.422 is pretty good for a shortstop, and if you add in decent defense, you have a pretty good all around player. Castro ranks eighth in fWAR for shortstops with a 2.1 fWAR, so it’s safe to assume Castro will be a perennial four to five win player when he develops.
The rumored deal would buyout Castro through the arbitration process, which is a trend we are seeing from the smart general managers all over the place. If the Cubs allowed Castro go through arbitration, he could easily be one of the most expensive players in the game. So this deal makes a lot of sense for the Cubs, but it also makes a lot of sense for the two time all-star shortstop.
Castro would receive guaranteed money, something any 22-year old should enjoy. Although he might make more money through the arbitration process, it’s not worth the risk. This isn’t going to be Castro’s only big pay day, anyways. Castro would be a free agent in his late twenties, and assuming he does fix all the little kinks in his game, he will be one of the biggest free agents available.
If I had to guess, I’m going to say this deal will be around $35-$40 million for around five years, with it being extremely backloaded as most of these pre-arbitration buyouts are.
Bryan is a featured writer for Rant Sports. Although he concentrates mostly on the game of baseball, you can find him covering things all over the Rant Sports Network.
Check out our MLB Rumors page for the latest rumors involving your favorite teams.
