The Sale Extension

The Chicago White Sox signed their ace starting pitcher Chris Sale to a $32.5 million dollar extension today that could keep him in the Windy City until 2019.  Sale had his career year with the White Sox last season, and emerged as one of the top starters in all of baseball. He had 17 wins to only 8 losses while having an Earned Run Average of 3.05 as well as averaging about 9 strikeouts per every 9 innings that he pitched (About 1 strikeout an inning). 

There was no doubt that he was the key component in helping the White Sox have a decent season last season, finishing with an overall record of 85-77 and placing second to the Detroit Tigers in the final American League Central race. But while he was the M.V.P. of the team, I honestly believe that the White Sox made a mistake in signing Sale to an extension this off season. The Sox took a big risk in my opinion to resign the side arm starter because I'm not entirely sold on Sale's abilities just quite yet. 

It is apparent the the White Sox want to build their future around Sale and while that is a good thing to do, if they had waited one more season to lock him up with an extension, then the Sox would have had a clearer picture of whether or not Sale can be the real deal or have just a random breakout season and then tumble the next season and have a mediocre to awful season, just like Ubaldo Jimenez did when the Cleveland Indians did when he was traded from the Colorado Rockies in 2011. 

Signing Sale to a long term after this up coming season would be a better fit for the White Sox because of the  amount of years that they can sign him to a long term deal can increase. Had they waited to extend him, they probably would have given him a lot more money because of the stellar season that he had. But now that they actually signed him to the deal, if he sucks; well then they're kind of stuck with him, unless they trade him away after two or three seasons. 

I enjoy watching Chris Sale pitch. He reminds me a lot of Randy Johnson, in that his delivery and physique are around the same. I'm not saying that for the White Sox the extension is all bad. I mean, Sale is was damn good pitcher last season and they have faith that he can and will continue to be one of the top pitchers in baseball. Taking the risk right now is just a good move at a bad time. 

Questions or comments?
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