I get it. The Oakland Athletics as a franchise don’t “do” long-term deals. The front office avoids such scenarios at all cost, knowing that big contracts are risky.
In a multi-year extension, a team often vies for consistency over value. The A’s tried this tactic with Eric Chavez back in 2004 only to watch the deal blow up in their faces.
Though Chavez was productive on both sides of the diamond, winning six consecutive Gold Glove Awards and a Silver Slugger, the third baseman missed parts of four seasons due to injuries.
With such a contract, the Athletics did not expect to receive value, meaning they did not see Chavvy out-performing his pay.