The Giants rewarded 2006 NL batting champ and starting second baseman Freddy Sanchez with a one-year extension, the team announced on Friday.
Sanchez, who became the first player in baseball history to hit three doubles in the first three at bats of a World Series, was dealt from the Pirates to the Giants at the 2009 trade deadline and signed a two-year extension worth $12 million in October of that year.
Sanchez will reportedly make $6 million in 2012 and is will remain in San Francisco for at least another year following this season.
It's a nice payday for a gu who's been a pleasant addition for San Fran, especially with his postseason performance. However, there are some questions as to whether or not Sanchez can stay healthy enough to justify the contract.
The 33-year-old Sanchez played in just 111 games in 2010 and has had some pretty debilitating shoulder and knee problems over the past few years. In fact, he's had his left shoulder scoped twice in the past calendar year.
But signing Sanchez also gives the organization some room to develop additional second-base talent. Right now, the top in-house option, Charlie Culberson, likely doesn't have the experience necessary to jump in and man second base at the big-league level.
So in that sense, locking down Sanchez for the next two years should give the front office time to make a decision about whether or not they can fill the position without utilizing free agency.
In the meantime, they get an option they know works at second base and decent production at a reasonable price from Sanchez for the next two years.
