Bob Dutton reports the specifics of the Jeff Francoeur deal: $2.5 million with bonuses that could be worth $500,000. There’s also a mutual option for 2012 at $3 million. He also gets $100 million if he leads the league in walks.
OK, maybe not. But I’d put that in there if I was Kansas City just to see what happens.
My original take on the signing is here. The numbers don’t change it much. $2.5 million is not a ton for the guy. There’s a chance he could be something approaching useful. If he somehow managed to finally tap his potential he could be a genuine bargain. Ultimately, though, he’s a bridge for the Royals until some of their stud prospects come to the big club in 2012 or 2013.