[NYY #23]

While players declared for free agency today the Monks have almost wrapped up our offseason plans in what I expect to be a slow offseason. A trade of reliever Will Winters to the Mets for 32 year old 3B Pat Lynch was the final in what was a flurry of moves. Lynch is an interesting player who hit .209 with 41 home runs last year.

I have to admit the whole concept of extending players before they become free agents is a foreign one. I don't usually worry about that, because it's on to the next team. San Antonio is a growing market, but our payroll is small enough that we need some payroll certainty. In doling out contract extensions I've also decided that I don't care about my owner's goal of building a top 7 farm, we want to keep our core intact, so despite the fact that my owner is "disappointed in my progress toward that goal" we've given the city four World Series Championships in the past four years so he'll just have to fire me if he doesn't like it.

Here are the deals we've agreed to:
• SP Alex Terry - signed three year $33.3 million extension
• RP Cristo Hernandez - 3 year, $7.62 million extension
• 1B Pedro Torres - 7 year, $116.7 million extension, player opt out after four years
• C Mauricio Maio - 3 year, $26.6 million extension
• SP Pedro Jimenez - 3 year, $38.1 million extension
• 2B Alberto Vazquez - 3 year, $13.5 million extension
• CF Lawrence Sutton - 8 year, $87 million extension
• SS Michael Gibbs - 3 year, $19.5 million extension
• SP Cam Gross - 9 year, $96.8 million extension
• SP Cipriano Castillo - 9 year, $104.4 million extension, player opt out after five years

Nothing like shelling out over $500 million in contract extensions.

Julian Williams was named Reliever of the Year, while Mauricio Maio, Michael Gibbs, and Lawrence Sutton won Silver Slugger Awards. Pedro Jimenez was named Cy Young winner, while Maio finished second in MVP voting