4 year deal with Rivero

[dmetz]

013620022D27062631430 wrote: Maybe I'm overly cynical, but to me, the signing of this deal makes it even easier to trade Rivero.



The acquiring team gets the benefit of cost certainty for Rivero with his arb years bought out. As fungible as the Pirates have believed relievers to be over the years (Hanrahan/Grilli/Melancon/Watson), it makes zero sense to then lock one up with a long-term deal. Especially with this team around him. He's a Rolex watch on a Walmart wardrobe.



No coincidence that Cole was traded 2 days after he signed his deal for 2018. Trigger was pulled once the Astros knew how much they were going to have to pay him. Would not surprise me one bit to see Rivero go, too.


I think that's a possibility too. The issue with buying out those arb years is NOT trading him now that the costs are controlled. He's not going to have a better year than last year, it's basically impossible.



If he has a down year or, nutting forbid, an injury, buying out the arb years becomes not such a good deal.



Trade this guy now and turn around a truckload for him. IF we hold him, hopefully he can hold his value until the deadline and be traded then.