Erick Aybar Contract Extension With Angels Now Official

There have been multiple rumors and reports about Angels shortstop Erick Aybar signing an extension with the team. Nothing has been official — that is, until Thursday afternoon, when this press release from the Angels announced the contract extension:

Angels’ General Manager Jerry Dipoto today announced the club has agreed to terms on a four-year contract extension with shortstop Erick Aybar. The contract will take Aybar through the 2016 campaign. Per club policy, no financial terms of the agreement will be announced.

Ah, but club policy or no, intrepid reporters get those financial terms and tweet them so that all of us can find out exactly how much money Aybar will get:

#Angels SS Erick Aybar"s extension is for 4 years and $35 million, will pay $8.5 million a year (2013-2016) with $1 million signing bonus.

— Mike DiGiovanna (@MikeDiGiovanna) April 19, 2012

So there you go. A little less than $9 million a year for a very good defensive player who has a career OPS+ of 88 and is off to a rough offensive start in 2012 (.190/.227/.262 in 45 plate appearances). Sounds about right in today’s marketplace.

Erick Aybar, Angels Agree To Four-Year Extension, Says Report

I put "says report" in the headline because nothing is official yet. Some of the big reporters on Twitter are saying an agreement is close, but not yet in place. But Jerry Crasnick says an agreement is in place, between Erick Aybar and the Los Angeles Angels. Here, I'll prove it.

Erick Aybar deal with #angels is for 4 years and $35 million guaranteed

— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) April 18, 2012

Just the other day, we were given this nugget:

The Angels would prefer to sign Aybar for something closer to the four-year, $33.5-million deal second baseman Howie Kendrick got in January. Aybar is believed to be looking for at least five years and $50 million.

Let's say for the sake of simplicity that both reports are true. The Angels wanted to give Aybar one thing. Aybar wanted something bigger. Aybar is getting what the Angels wanted to give him, without even really meeting in the middle. Those are some shrewd negotiating skills on Aybar's agent's part. Of course, what's more important than the money Aybar isn't getting is the money Aybar is getting, and he's getting a lot of money. Good for him. He and his family are going to be wealthy long after we're dead.

The expectation is that there will be official confirmation of an Aybar extension on Thursday. The 28-year-old shortstop was to become a free agent this coming offseason. He just won a Gold Glove in 2011, and he has a career 88 OPS+, which is okay. He has a 95 OPS+ since 2009, which is more okay. Aybar is presently a very good player with a broad assortment of skills, and one should also never underrate his .gif potential. Erick Aybar has tremendous .gif potential.

Erick Aybar: good player, fun player. Right kind of guy to sign to an extension.

Erick Aybar, Los Angeles Angels Reportedly Close To Extension

The Los Angeles Angels are reportedly close to an extension with their Gold Glove-winning shortstop, Erick Aybar.