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Coco Crisp contract extension: 2 years, $22.75 million
The Oakland A's and outfielder Coco Crisp have agreed to a two year, $22.75 million contract extension, with an option for the 2017 season.
The 34 year old Crisp was set to become a free agent after this season.
Extending Crisp could make the newly acquired (and former Ranger) Craig Gentry expendable, either during the season or after the 2014 season. Gentry was a potential hedge against Crisp departing as a free agent after the season, but with Crisp in place going forward, Gentry becomes more superfluous.
In addition, this potentially impacts the Alex Rios contract situation. The Rangers hold a $13.5M option on Rios for 2015, with a $1M buyout. The free agent market for outfielders in the 2014-15 offseason was already weak, and with Crisp off the market, it increases the possibility that the demand for outfielders will be greater than the supply, meaning that Texas could potentially look to exercise the option on Rios and trade him, or decline the option, make a qualifying offer, and seek to get an extra first round pick.
