Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Eric Byrnes continued to make news this week. For the past several days news reports have been surfacing that the colorful outfielder is looking to sign a contract extension and is hoping that he can work out a deal with the team to keep him in Sedona Red for the foreseeable future. This is a very interesting circumstance as Byrnes has shown that last season was no fluke where he was listed among team leaders in most categories. This season Byrnes picked up where he left off and is again leading the team in batting average, RBI, and stolen bases. Byrnes has made it known his desire to stay a Diamondback and has offered to give the team a “hometown discountâ€.
Eric Byrnes has become a fan favorite during his tenure in Arizona so from most fans’ perspective this seems like the best possible news. After the team refused to re-sign previous fan favorite Luis Gonzalez instead opting to use Eric Byrnes in his place these fans just assumed that Byrnes would be awarded a contract extension. The fans were led to believe that Gonzalez was let go because he was too old and the team was looking to get younger. Byrnes is just entering his prime and like Gonzalez his production has blossomed since coming to the desert. And like his predecessor he too wants to remain a Diamondback so it would seem to be the perfect fit. Not so fast.
Indeed the Arizona Diamondbacks are looking to become younger and in the process minimize the amount of payroll they would need to carry. With attendance not what the team would like they need to be conscious of what they spend on player salaries. Another piece of this puzzle to consider is the state of the Diamondbacks farm system. Besides young outfielders such as Scott Hairston, Chris Young, Jeff Salazar, and Carlos Quentin; the Diamondbacks also have another crop of youngsters waiting in the wings including Carlos Gonzalez and Justin Upton both of whom recently played in the Futures Game in San Francisco. If the Diamondbacks were to sign Byrnes to a long-term deal they will essentially block the progression of one of their bright young stars. The problem is that the team must compare current production to future projection. The variables associated with that are impossible to predict. This season is a prime example. The Diamondbacks in no way expected all of their young players to struggle at the plate. There is just no way to positively tell whether a player will meet the expectations placed upon him. So while Eric Byrnes would love to get a deal done now the Diamondbacks are opting to take more of a wait and see attitude to try and decide whether to bank more heavily on the present or put your money into the future. In the mean time the fans are left to wonder whether they will see yet another change to who will man left field for the Diamondbacks.
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