Tampa Bay extends Carl Crawford

[VolsRaysBucs]

Rays extend OF Carl Crawford for 5 yrs/12M per season. 

This figure came via fantrax higest rating of 15th overall in 2010 season (09 and 08 he was lower).

Tampa makes this move to lock in a player who is currently one of the top 10 OF in baseball and a lock to be a Yankee in real life come 2011, thus theoretically making him even more valuable in coming years (that stadium is a joke for lefties, C.C is lefty).  The move leaves the Rays at the cap maximum for 2010 season.

[Colby]

You have been mulling over this one all spring.  Great deal.  The length doesn't surprise me considering how much of a value you are getting when the Cards signed Ludwick to a 1-year $16.5m deal over the winter.

[VolsRaysBucs]

Thanks Colby!
I wrestled with this decision for quite sometime.  It is a blast being the Rays and trying to find the right balance of salary/production.  I figured it was time to piss or get off the pot with C.C, and considering his hot start (usually a VERY slow starter) I needed to act now or risk being priced out for him.  With Pena, Burrell, Iwamura and Wheeler coming off the 2011 books, I needed to lock in a valuable player with potentially more trade value as the season progresses.  I was hesitant to give such a long deal, but at that value, it was a calculated risk I felt I HAD to take.  I am effectively tring to buy out his "prime yrs" at below actual market value....time will tell haha.....GO RAYS!

[Colby]

Rays extend OF Carl Crawford for 5 yrs/12M per season. 

This figure came via fantrax higest rating of 15th overall in 2010 season (09 and 08 he was lower).

Looks good... Crawford's new contract is in the Rays' books.  :judge:  His new contract is $12m (2014).