MLB.com reported today that Chipper Jones and the Atlanta Braves have reached an agreement on a 3-year contract extension that would pay Jones $42 million and give him a chance to end his career exactly where he began it.
Jones, who turns 37 this April, was drafted with the 1st overall pick in the 1990 amateur draft. The move was considered a necessary disappointment at the time as Atlanta’s first choice, Todd Van Poppel, had stated he would not play for the Braves if drafted.
The contract itself is quite creative, filled with all sorts of games played bonuses along with two separate options for a 4th year extension for 2013. If Jones plays at least 127 games in 2012 or averages 127 games during 2011 and 2012, a $9 million vested option will kick in. If the option does not kick in, the Braves also have a $7 million team option they can exercise.
In addition to giving Chipper a legitimate shot at 500 home runs (he currently stands at 408), Jones gets the chance to retire as an Atlanta Brave, one of the very few with such talent and accolades who have always played for the same team.
With free agency dollars driving players to new teams, has the era of the franchise player passed? Will we see another generation Cal Ripken Jr’s. in Baltimore, Tony Gwynn’s in San Diego, or the Biggio/Bagwell boys in Houston?
One such remaining player is New York Yankee, Derek Jeter, whose contract will expire after the 2010 season when he is 36. Seeing how the Yankees extended Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada multi-year deals to keep them in pinstripes until they wave goodbye, is there anything that would keep Captain from doing the same?
Either way, a big thank you to Chipper Jones for reminding us that some players do understand the value of their relationship with a city, a team, and its fans. For many of us, that is priceless.
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