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Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Yanks giving Hicks a 7-year extension has got to be a sign of something. Boone called him "maybe the most underrated player in the game" but 7 years at age 29? It looks like Cashman is using the cash, man, that he saved on not splurging on Machado and Harper to shore up what he's got. I can't say that I disagree, even though the length of the contract has me a bit concerned. At least it's not 10 years.

They just signed Severino to a four-year deal at the same $10 million a year (I would have swapped the contract durations for these two players) and the article that I read speculated that the Yankees would look to be doing the same with Gregorius and maybe even Judge and Sanchez; i.e., signing them to good contracts before they even get out of arbitration, much less into free agency.

Looks like they think they have a good, young team on their hands and they want to lock it in rather than gamble on outsiders. If so, I like this idea.

Well, he's a late bloomer who's just coming into his own. Perhaps that will extend his peak window, so you won't have to worry about the back end of the deal too much. He can contribute to the team in so many ways. I think he's really found something at a later than normal stage of his career. He broke out at age 27, with great on base skills, tremendous power, above average baserunning, above average defense, and an absolute hose for an arm. If you were to ask me, I'd say a reasonable comp is Jose Bautista. Jose was a much, much better hitter, but Hicks has other attributes that bring him closeish to Jose. I would say at their best, in their primes, Jose's definitely the better player, but Hicks keeps himself in spitting distance with the more well rounded game.

Both were late bloomers. Jose's breakout started in the final month of his age 28 season, and lasted all the way through his age 34 season. That's sevenish seasons if you're counting, which is the same length as Hicks' contract. You can't beat the price for what Hicks brings to the table, so the team should be really happy, and Hicks must be over the moon to get such life changing money when it looked like he was destined to become a washout who had teased the Twins with what must've been massive potential.

Yep, he was highly thought of alright...Baseball America had him at #39 heading into 2009, #19 heading into 2010, #45 heading into 2011, and #72 heading into 2013. He was on those lists a long time, which speaks to how highly he was regarded, but also to how close he came to being a washout. You don't want to spend too much time on those lists because it means you're stalling out/not getting where you want to go. A guy who plays for his former team, Byron Buxton, is a much more extreme example of this as he was #10, #1, #2, and #2 heading into 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016. Buxton has sooo much raw talent, and is only 25 this year, but you have to wonder if he's ever going to fulfill his potential, which is absolutely unlimited.

As for Boone's comment, I'm really leery of the whole such and such is the best/most whatever in the game. Hicks is definitely one of the most underrated position players in the game, but Anthony Rendon is far more underrated, and possibly the most underrated position player in all of baseball. You never hear word one about him and despite being quite the studly player, he's never been to an All-Star Game, which to me is ridiculous. He should've been to at least two and possibly three by now, but...nothing. Not a peep. He's been top 6 in MVP voting twice and was number 11 once, but no All-Star Game for him. It's a traveshamockery really.