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November 2, 2005 (cbatraderumors.com)
Subject: Contract Extension for Louisville's Dennis Morgan
The Louisville Colonels announced that they have signed star LF Dennis Morgan to a five-year contract extension worth a total of $52 million. The contract reportedly pays $9 million for the upcoming season, $10 million in 2007 and 2008, $11 million in 2009, and $12 million in 2010 if the Colonels exercise their team option. The contract extension buys out Morgan’s remaining three years of arbitration eligibility and his first two years of free agency. The Colonels paid a premium of $2 million over the arbitration estimate for 2006 in order to keep Morgan off the open market later.
Morgan missed the entire 2004 season with an injury after bursting onto the scene with 54 home runs and a .307 batting average in 2003. In 2005, Morgan had a good year but missed some games, including the entire post-season, with leg injuries. Colonels GM Otto Orcin is gambling that Morgan’s injuries are just a string of bad luck and not a pattern. He is also betting heavily that Morgan will regain his 2003 batting stroke.
Fan reaction to the contract in Louisville was off the charts. There had been rumors of a possible trade sending Morgan to the San Francisco Seals for star center fielder and potential leadoff hitter Arlen Smith. Louisville fans are assuming that the new contract means Morgan will be staying put, but veteran observers know that a trade is still possible and perhaps even more likely. Coincidentally, the Seals held their own press conference today to announce that Smith had signed a long-term extension, reportedly four years at $45 million. The amounts of the two contracts are eerily similar, and it occurs to this reporter that a trade would be easier now that each side knows the player is signed to an affordable contract.
Louisville fans may not be that familiar with 25-year-old Arlen Smith, so here is a brief thumbnail. Smith is in his third full season with the Seals, who drafted him out of college (St. Johns) with the 8th overall pick in the 2002 draft and sent him straight to the majors. Smith plays all three outfield spots and has won a Gold Glove in right field. His career stat line in 600 major league games: .311/.386/.445 with 47 HR and 134 SB. His career stolen base success rate is 79%. He is very durable, having missed a total of 12 games over the past three seasons with no reported injuries. He is popular with the fans and always hustles. But there is a catch. Smith is not well-liked by his teammates because he cares more about himself than the team. Smith was rumored to be mad about the acquisition of premier leadoff hitter Joe Avery because he makes more money, and allegedly annoyed about being moved to third in the lineup to accommodate Avery.
If Louisville GM Otto Orcin is truly interested in Smith, it would be to satisfy his craving for a leadoff hitter. Would he upset the team chemistry to get one? A source inside the Colonels organization reported that Orcin was upset with Morgan’s injury that caused him to miss the post-season again this year. Has he committed to Morgan again, or is he is setting the stage for a big trade? We will know soon enough.
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