RADIO
In an attempt to avoid any unnecessary off the field story lines during spring training, the Texas Rangers and third baseman Adrian Beltre have agreed to guarantee the option in his contract for 2016.
The 2016 contract option was contingent on Beltre reaching 600 plate appearances in 2015, but Rangers GM Jon Daniels has been on record saying "I just don't want the clause to be a story...I don't want that to be even a thought." According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, in the process of waiving the clause, Beltre and the Rangers have also agreed to flip his 2015 and 2016 salary figures meaning that Beltre will now be on the books for $16MM in 2015 and $18MM in 2016. With the option clause waived, Beltre is now set to earn the full value of his six-year $96MM deal signed with the Rangers prior to the 2011 season.
Beltre, a career .285 hitter, continued his steady production last year by triple-slashing .324/.388/.492 with 19 HR. He contributed his usual stellar defense at third base. Those numbers were good enough to earn Beltre 7.0 WAR (Wins Above Replacement), ranking him third among position players in all of baseball behind only Mike Trout and Josh Donaldson. Beltre's career WAR of 77.8 places him at 42nd all time among position players and puts Beltre in a position to make strong case for the Hall of Fame.
The extension signals that the Rangers fully expect the soon-to-be 36-year-old Beltre to continue to produce through the late stages of his career. After the extension, GM Daniels said that "We would like Adrian to finish his career as a Ranger," and expressed that there is a sense of trust between Beltre and the organization. Beltre confirmed the sentiment saying "I want to win a World Series, and I want to be on a team thinking like that."
