[teejers1]

1.  I think Craw will get a 3-year contract offer from several teams.

Trevor Story, Corey Seager, Carlos Correa and Javier Baez are all scheduled to become free agents after this season. Marcus Semien also, who is playing second base this season but is a shortstop. The Mets already signed Francisco Lindor long term. Crawford will be 35 at the start of next season; hard to imagine a robust market for him, which will work in the Giants favor if they want to re-sign him on a reasonable contract. Then again perhaps they will instead be in the market for one of the aforementioned options.

The guys you list (with possible exception of Story) will get 5+ year deals for gobs of money.  I think Crawford at 3 years, at a lot less per, will be attractive to teams.  We'll see (and this assumes, of course, that his numbers don't crater between now and the end of the season).

Crawford isn't getting 3 years from the Giants. The giants are good to go with home grown talent at SS and 2B in the near future. They aren't in the market to pay anyone big bucks there because they don't need to. I seriously doubt any team is going to sign up for a year of a 38 year old shortstop. The optics alone would be too bad to contemplate. Could some team be that silly? Possibly, never underestimate stupidity. However, I really don't expect it.

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I don’t think Posey has “refused” to play first regularly.

Actually, I think he has. Not publicly, but for quite some time the Giants have wanted to find a way to extend his career. However, he likes being a cather, he is good at it, and that is the end of it as far as he is concerned.

He simply has been significantly more valuable as a catcher Which remains the case. Actually I’ve always thought that if he was going to move out from behind the plate, third base would be his best option.

I have no argument about third vs first, other than playing third is generally considered a more difficult task than playing first. While Posey has certainly contributed greatly as a catcher, keeping him around for 5 more year as a hitter has it's merits as well. I think that is what the Giants wanted to do, but by now it is probably too late.

My guess is the will look to sign him to a 2 year deal, with perhaps a team option.  They aren’t going to exercise the option at 22 million.

You are correct. However, what do they do if Posey says he will just retire if they don't pick up the option? I think that is a very probable outcome. He doesn't need to play two more years for the money, especially if it is a total less than 22 million, but 22 million for one year might do it. Publicity wise, he has all the cards.

I agree it's unlikely Crawford will get 3 years from the Giants; thus, the question becomes what does the Giants' 2-year deal look like versus any 3-year deals offered to Crawford.  We'll see.

As for Posey, don't forget he already passed on $$ for last season.  Yeah, he is financially set for life, but how many athletes - particularly baseball players - can you name who voluntarily left multiple years of $$ on the table?  Maybe Mussina?

[teejers1]

1.  I think Craw will get a 3-year contract offer from several teams.

Trevor Story, Corey Seager, Carlos Correa and Javier Baez are all scheduled to become free agents after this season. Marcus Semien also, who is playing second base this season but is a shortstop. The Mets already signed Francisco Lindor long term. Crawford will be 35 at the start of next season; hard to imagine a robust market for him, which will work in the Giants favor if they want to re-sign him on a reasonable contract. Then again perhaps they will instead be in the market for one of the aforementioned options.

The guys you list (with possible exception of Story) will get 5+ year deals for gobs of money.  I think Crawford at 3 years, at a lot less per, will be attractive to teams.  We'll see (and this assumes, of course, that his numbers don't crater between now and the end of the season).

Crawford isn't getting 3 years from the Giants. The giants are good to go with home grown talent at SS and 2B in the near future. They aren't in the market to pay anyone big bucks there because they don't need to. I seriously doubt any team is going to sign up for a year of a 38 year old shortstop. The optics alone would be too bad to contemplate. Could some team be that silly? Possibly, never underestimate stupidity. However, I really don't expect it.

---

I don’t think Posey has “refused” to play first regularly.

Actually, I think he has. Not publicly, but for quite some time the Giants have wanted to find a way to extend his career. However, he likes being a cather, he is good at it, and that is the end of it as far as he is concerned.

He simply has been significantly more valuable as a catcher Which remains the case. Actually I’ve always thought that if he was going to move out from behind the plate, third base would be his best option.

I have no argument about third vs first, other than playing third is generally considered a more difficult task than playing first. While Posey has certainly contributed greatly as a catcher, keeping him around for 5 more year as a hitter has it's merits as well. I think that is what the Giants wanted to do, but by now it is probably too late.

My guess is the will look to sign him to a 2 year deal, with perhaps a team option.  They aren’t going to exercise the option at 22 million.

You are correct. However, what do they do if Posey says he will just retire if they don't pick up the option? I think that is a very probable outcome. He doesn't need to play two more years for the money, especially if it is a total less than 22 million, but 22 million for one year might do it. Publicity wise, he has all the cards.

I agree it's unlikely Crawford will get 3 years from the Giants; thus, the question becomes what does the Giants' 2-year deal look like versus any 3-year deals offered to Crawford.  We'll see.

As for Posey, don't forget he already passed on $$ for last season.  Yeah, he is financially set for life, but how many athletes - particularly baseball players - can you name who voluntarily left multiple years of $$ on the table?  Maybe Mussina?