Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia is closing in on a seven-year, $100M extension, which would make him, “at least temporarily, the highest-paid second baseman in the game,” according to Peter Abraham of the BOSTON GLOBE. The deal would “take Pedroia through the end” of the ’21 season, when he will be 38. It would be the first $100M “deal for a second baseman in baseball history.” Pedroia is "regarded as a model player both for his performance and personality." Although Pedroia "compares favorably" to Yankees 2B Robinson Cano statistically and is 10 months younger, Cano could "realize an average annual value of close" to $20M. If Pedroia had "waited for Cano to set the market, his extension could have been worth more." Pedroia: "I don't look at it like that" (BOSTON GLOBE, 7/24). In Boston, Nick Cafardo notes Pedroia "heard the right numbers and the right number of years and he pounced." Cafardo: "So much for the Red Sox showing restraint in future contracts." The Red Sox had Pedroia "under control" through '15 with a team option worth $11M. With this new agreement, starting in '15 he will "receive an average" of $14.28M a season with a full no-trade clause. The Red Sox "got a bargain when they signed Pedroia to his last contract." They "probably feel this is a bargain as well because Cano could get double the money if a team such as the Dodgers gets involved." The Red Sox made an "exception to their recent statements that they don’t want to exceed five years with a player" (BOSTON GLOBE, 7/24). Also in Boston, Scott Lauber writes since the "ill-fated signings of Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez, the Red Sox have been allergic to contracts that exceed three years in length." But Owner John Henry last week said that they would be "more inclined to make that commitment to one of their homegrown players, citing Pedroia as a prime example" (BOSTON HERALD, 7/24).
