The ongoing saga of Chase Headley and his contract gets a new chapter today.
One of the biggest question marks for the Padres over the last year or so regarded Chase Headley's contract situation. There have been rumors that he has needed to be traded, rumors about a big contract extension and finally talk that the team will simply sign him for a final year and let him test free agency come October. Today we have found out that, at least for now, the team will forward with that one year deal.
The Padres and Chase Headley avoided arbitration in his final year before free agency and settled on a contract value of $10.525 million dollars for the 2014 season. MLBTradeRumors.com had predicted that it would be close to $10 million, so the figure makes sense to those who spend time analyzing these things.
Headley previously made $8.575 million in 2013, $3.375 million in 2012 and $2.325 million in 2011. All typical raises for a player during his arbitration years that produced as he did.
In the very short term, the deal makes sense in that the team had to agree to a contract before any arbitration hearing in February in order to avoid a messy court case over his 2014 salary. That part is good. However, it once again brings the complicated issue of Headley's future with the Padres to the forefront. It is an issue that has been messy in the past when the team has brought it to the attention of the media and one that gives fans an unsettled feeling about the future of one of the team's most notable players. To be continued.