vander54 said:
fc2112 said:
Heaney has 9 1/3 to go for $8 MM.
I'm going to be mad if he doesn't get there.
I assume playoffs count, so there is that. And it is $7M. He has a $13M player option for 2024 that can vest to $20M based on 150IP.
I think the spirit of the payoff was to give him a bonus if he reached 150, something he has only hit once. He has remained healthy and been relatively successful (27GS, 31G, 4.35) for a guy making $13M.
I think the spirit of the team from the top (Bochy/CYoung) is the culture to do whatever is needed to win. Sure, there is Player-Speak and Coach-Speak that says, "I'll do whatever I have to to help the team win."
I mentioned when we got Chapman that the sentiment between Chapman and Smith being named Closer was that both cared more about winning than being "Closer." Granted the season has exposed both.
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Perez is another example. Bochy this week talked about Perez. We've talked about it. Moving Perez to the bullpen could have made him pissy. Instead, the performance has been that he has played the role and stepped up. Asked this week, Bochy basically said Perez was willing to do whatever was asked of him.
Going back to Heaney... Heaney was moved to the bullpen knowing he had $7M reasons to NOT want to move to the bullpen. He didn't have a choice, but he did have a choice in how he responded. He hasn't done well from the bullpen, but I'm hoping he is still transitioning to what role he has from there.
I think it would really hurt the culture of what CYoung is trying to build if Heaney fell short as close as he will be and didn't vest. He would likely opt out. Even if he vests, he'd be 1yr/$20M @ 33.
His splits this season:
1H: 17GS, 4.71 ERA, 86.0 IP
2H: 10GS, 14G, 3.79 ERA, 54.2 IP
His agent likely explores 3+yr deals with other teams before he takes the 1yr for Texas. I've mentioned before, I could also see the Rangers paying a portion of the $20M and trading him.
Hopefully we don't have to find out.