Rougned Odor has reached terms with the Texas Rangers for 6 years, $49.5 million and two new friends.
Rougned Odor will be staying in Texas for the foreseeable future. As reported by ESPN, the second baseman has signed a contract to remain with the Rangers through 2022 with a $49.5 million extension. Not too shabby.
The terms of the deal are back loaded, but given the breakout star is only 23 years old, you can’t see the Rangers getting rid of him prior to the contract’s end. It’s a safe play for both sides. The Rangers lock in a top young player at his position — most likely at a discount considering today’s market — while Odor gets a bit of financial security at a very early juncture in his career.
To many’s surprise, the real difference during negotiations was when Texas Rangers General Manager Jon Daniels showed Odor a picture of two horses they were willing to include in his contract. He loves horses, and apparently negotiations were at a stand still up until that point.
A new era of sports contracts has dawned in the world and I’m all for it. The question I keep asking myself is, “why has no one done this before?” We all know professional athletes have their eccentricities, but when it comes to contract negotiations they are almost always in the driver’s seat. Especially a young, proven player that can “take his talents to South Beach,” or anywhere else for that matter. It’s not always all about the money, and it can really come down to the intangibles that make players feel truly at home. Or in this case, very tangible, very real horses.
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Letting myself dream for a moment, if I’m at the negotiating table, I’m playing hardball for a farm full of puppies. And a wolf. And a bear. And a panda. Okay .. let’s just make it a Zoo. “Where do I sign?”