In another sign that the Reds’ budget is stretched to the limit, Bronson Arroyo’s recent contract extension calls for some of the money to be made in deferred payments:
A good portion of Bronson Arroyo’s salary for 2011 is deferred.
Arroyo was set to make $13 million under the option that the club picked up.
However, his new 3-year, $35 million contract has deferred money and will pay him to 2021.
But don’t expect the Reds to go on a spending spree with the money saved.
“It helps us maintain what we have,†Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said. “If he hadn’t done that, we’d be way, way over budget.â€Â
The Reds are operating with a payroll right around $80 million.
In other words, the Reds aren’t signing Cliff Lee. Quit being silly.
I still think Walt Jocketty is going to engineer some kind of trade (hopefully for a left fielder) before Opening Day, but I’d be surprised if it happened in the near future.