Has Sean Rodriguez Priced Himself Out of the Pittsburgh Pirates?

Pittsburgh Pirates UT Sean Rodriguez has enjoyed a career year in 2016. Has his stellar play priced him out of the Pirates’ 2017 plans?

The Pittsburgh Pirates brought back Sean Rodriguez for the 2016 season on a team friendly 1-year/$2.5 million deal.

After a season that has seen career numbers from the utility-man, it is fair to assume that Rodriguez will be getting a raise.

Will it be the Pirates who give it to him?

Fitting In Anywhere He Goes

Comparing Rodriguez’s potential salary for 2017 is no easy task. Rodriguez has played seven positions this season, and as such his value isn’t as easily quantified against other free agents to be. For what its worth, MLB Trade Rumors has him lumped in with the first baseman group in their 2016-2017 Free Agent Tracker. First base has seen the most appearances from Rodriguez this season with 55, but even that is a tricky proposition. Though he has seen the most action at first, Rodriguez has the most plate appearances while manning second base.

Positional murkiness aside, Rodriguez’s ability to play so many positions – and play them well – will undoubtedly drive up his value before we even start to take in at-the-plate considerations.

If we look at the list of free agent first baseman-to-be, we find that many on the list offer no such flexibility. Of course, the cream of the crop – names such as Edwin Encarnacion, Mike Napoli and Mitch Moreland – are in another tier than Rodriguez, and as such that flexibility flies out the window. Rodriguez’s contemporaries such as Logan Morrison and Steve Pearce offer a better comparison. Still, Rodriguez plays far more positions at a higher level than those he would be more directly compared to.

How Much is A Career Year Worth?

We keep throwing the term “Career year” around in regards to Rodriguez’s 2016 output, but it is only when seeing his numbers against his previous seasons does this fact truly shine through.

Rodriguez’s first stint with the Pirates in 2015 saw him serve chiefly as a defensive caddy to Pedro Alvarez at first base. This resulted in fewer starts and fewer PAs for the 31 year old. With a competent defensive first baseman in John Jaso, Rodriguez was able to bounce around the field, gathering more starts and more regular at-bats.

There are clearly two factors that will be in play as the market for Rodriguez’s services bears itself out.

First, will rival executives see Rodriguez’s 2016 as a flash in the pan? That could be a fair criticism, as previous seasons with similar PAs have not borne the fruit that we are seeing this year. If they do see it as an indication that Rodriguez is now a more complete hitter, the second factor becomes sustainability. Can Rodriguez put another season like this together? Though he is 31 years old, Rodriguez is relatively young and has historically been injury free. By all accounts, he takes good care of himself and dedicates time to honing his craft.

There is nothing to suggest that he can’t maintain a similar level of production going forward, providing he receives the necessary at bats. In a piece we published earlier this year, Rodriguez’s father, Johnny, let us in on a little secret. Sean’s leg-kick was taken away from him early in his development by the Los Angeles Angels, who saw him as a line drive hitter. Pittsburgh Pirates hitting coach Jeff Branson added the leg kick back in, and that fact alone accounts for the huge increase in slugging numbers.

Other general managers are smart, too, and they will likely do their homework. What they will find that this sudden maturation as a hitter is a result of mechanical refinements, adjustments that should carry over to his next opportunity.

But Do The Pittsburgh Pirates Have A Spot For Him?

Back to the question at hand. Has Sean Rodriguez’s fantastic season priced him out of the Pirates’ hands?

Absolutely not.

Despite his impressive work, Rodriguez’s value is still affordable. One can easily see a 2-year/$8 million type deal for Rodriguez, and that would be a steal. The Pirates have but $59.1 million committed for next year – this before arbitration raises and incoming league minimum salaries for Tyler Glasnow, Jameson Taillon, Josh Bell and others. Even taking that into consideration, there is ample wiggle room for a deal to get done.

To me, length would be the deciding factor in any deal to bring Rodriguez back to Pittsburgh. It would be hard to begrudge him for looking for stability, having played the previous two seasons under one year deals. However, for the Pirates, that might not make the most sense.

Austin Meadows looms on the horizon for a 2018 call up (if not earlier), and the club will also need to make room for Adam Frazier, who has shown that he belongs in the Major Leagues,  in 2017 and beyond. Elias Diaz, Trevor Williams and others have intrigue about them that could earn them a roster spot. The club will also have to make some key decisions on fringe major league talent such as Alen Hanson and Jose Osuna.

If the Pittsburgh Pirates can front load a potential multi-year deal with Rodriguez, it is clear that the affinity that both parties have for each other could be enough to get a deal done in that scenario. If not, Rodriguez may owe it to himself to find a more lucrative path elsewhere.