Todd Helton was already locked up for $16.6 million this year and $19.1 million next year with an insane $23 million option for 2012, but the Rockies felt it necessary to extend his contract all the same. He’s now locked up for 2012 and given a contract for 2013. Financial details were not released, but the club did say that they were deferring a portion of the money over ten years beginning in 2014.
While more money to Todd Helton may not be the best baseball move, he’s insanely popular in Colorado. The deferral of dough avoids the team having to make a smart-but-unpopular decision regarding Helton’s overpriced 2012 option too.
You don’t do this sort of thing with just any player, but every team is probably allowed one or two silly contracts in the interests of loyalty, PR, good will and things like that. Helton is that guy for the Rockies.