Baseball - Freddy Sanchez Does Not Envy Chase Utley

People are wondering whether Freddy Sanchez ended up getting the short end of the stick when he signed the contract with the Pirates. Sanchez helped the Pirates win the NL batting championship last season with an average of .344. Even then, he got paid less than Chase Utley.

However, Sanchez insists that he is not envious of Utley, who signed up with Pirates from the Phillies. Sanchez thinks he got a good deal and that the contract he got was great.

Sanchez could have missed out on a better contract because Utley had agreed to a $85 million, seven year contract with the Pirates just before they started the negotiation with Sanchez for his present contract of two years. Critics feel that though Utley hits with more power, Sanchez is a much better all round hitter. Last season Utley had 32 home runs compared to Sanchez’s 6 but Sanchez had 85 RBIs compared to Utley’s 102.

Last season Sanchez earned $342,000 and he wanted $3.1 million this season while Pirates have offered him $2.15 million. There is possibility that Sanchez and Pirates may opt for arbitration on the one year contract.

The other aspect that people are eagerly waiting for is Utley’s contract. Utley might push the Pirates to a two year agreement but one can just wait and watch at this moment.

Sanchez is not talking about his contract at the moment. He is hoping to sort out all the details with regard to payment before spring training. He might take the same step as Jason Bay who signed a four year contract for $18.25 million and this covered the remainder of Bay’s arbitration eligible seasons. By opting for this contract, Bay missed out on a salary rise that took place this offseason. However, this step ensured that Bay gets a long term financial security.

In case Sanchez decides to opt for arbitration, he is absolutely determined not to get upset by the comments Pirates make against him. He says that he is well aware that there would be nothing personal about the comments. Just two Pirate players have gone for arbitration in last 15 years. One was Jeff King in 1993 and the other was Jack Wilson in 2004.