If he had to guess one thing that would happen this spring, Ken_Rosenthal would say a monster extension between the Padres and star third baseman Manny Machado. Here are the primary factors that should motivate the two sides to get a deal done:
The Padres’ owner loves his players, Machado perhaps more than any other. He repeatedly has demonstrated a willingness to pay top-of-the-market prices for elite talent. Why would he stop now, drawing a line with the centerpiece of his franchise?The Padres’ drew 2.99 million fans last season, fifth most in the majors and second most in franchise history behind only Petco Park’s inaugural season in 2004. The team hasso it can sell more individual game tickets.
Seidler is spending money to make money. And Machado is a big part of the attraction, which is music to the ears of …Machado’s longtime representative surely is tempted to take him to the open market, knowing his client’s value might never be higher. Machado is coming off a second-place MVP finish. His 159 OPS+ last season was a career-high for a full season.