The man leading the Padres offense has signed a two-year contract worth at least $13 million.
When Josh Byrnes sent Luke Gregerson to Oakland in exchange for Seth Smith, the reaction was not very kind. Obviously, that negativity seems silly in hindsight. Not only was Gregerson replaced with the more than capable Joaquin Benoit, but Smith has been the most dangerous bat in the (admittedly historically bad) lineup. His .281 batting average beats out runner up Chris Denorfia by more than 30 points, and he leads the team in doubles, triples, and home runs. He does all of that while also being a capable outfielder. But with his contract expiring at the end of the season, many fans expected to see him leave San Diego by July 31. The Padres currently nebulous GM-by-committee instead chose to sign him for two more years.
The new deal will keep Smith in Padres colors (whatever they may be) through his age 33 season, earning him $6 million in 2015 and $6.75 million in 2016. The team has a $7 million club option for 2017, with a dirt cheap buyout of $250,000. The only question left is if he'll still be sharing playing time with Carlos Quentin come August 1.