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Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy has retired from the Dayton Daily News after covering the Cincinnati Reds for 37 years. Hal's blog, though, will continue to be a must-read for Reds fans. He'll share his thoughts on the team this season and will file updates from Great American Ball Park. You also can catch Hal in print every Sunday in his popular Ask Hal columnHome > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2008 > August > 16
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Alonso: more than $4.55 million
OK, so here’s the scoop, the breakdown of the contract the Cincinnati Reds gave No. 1 pick Yonder Alonso.
Mama, do let your babies grow up to be first basemen.
Alonso’s contract is worth a little more than $4.55 million, with incentives.
The breakdown:
He receives a $2 million signing bonus - $1.5 million now, $500,000 on June 15 of next year.
For the rest of this season, he gets $50,000 in salary. His salary then escalates to $400,000 next year, $500,000 in 2010, $600,000 in 2011 and $1 million in 2012. If he is arbitration eligible in 2012, that supersedes the $1 million.
In addition, for his last three college semesters, the Reds will contribute $78,000 - that’s $60,000 in tuition and $18,000 in books and board.
In addition, a trip for his immediate family will be paid for by the Reds for his first major-league game.
In addition, he gets $25,000 if he is Rookie of the Year, $100 if he is MVP and $100,000 if he is MVP of the World Series (for what team?).
Everything is guaranteed, he is on a major-league contract and he will be in big-league camp in spring training next spring and in 2010.
While Alonso said he was confident a deal would get done - it was cementt done he had his fall class scheduled to the University of Miami on a table to his left and a contract for the independent Long Island Ducks to his right. Just in case.
Alonso has been friends with A-Rod since they were in the Boys Club together when they were 9 and was taking advice from the New York Yankee superstar. In fact, A-Rod offered to let Alonso share an apartment in New York if he played for the Ducks.
Let’s see, $4.55 million from the Reds and a start at Class A Sarasota, or a chintzy check from the Ducks and a chance to get a glimpse of Madonna. Some choice.
Asked to describe himself as a player, Alonso said, “I have a lot of hunger, I’m a very passionate guy about baseball and I’m a winner.”
With that contract, he can wipe out the hunger part.
When the Reds drafted him in June, he said he was looking forward to meeting Ken Griffey Jr. and Adam Dunn.
Whoops. Now what?
“Well, I don’t want to see them, but I ‘m looking forward to seeing Jay Bruce and Joey Votto.”
One of the major issues in the deal is that Alonso wanted a major-league contract and to be placed on the 40-man roster.
“It was very important to me to be part of a major-league 40-man roster, to be part of the club,” he said.
Despite the class schedules and the independent contract as his fallbacks, Alonso said he spent Friday afternoon watching Al Pacino in ‘88 Minutes’ to take his mind off the clock ticking away his future.
“The movie was very funny and relaxing, but the day was very stressful,” Alonso added.
He said A-Rod advised him, “Stay relaxed and don’t panic. They’ll get something don’t. And even if they don’t, you’ll still be playing baseball. Hey, it’s an honor and a privilege to know him and to go to his home in the winter and hit in his batting cage.”
Somebody asked what was next - meaning what would he do in the next few days - and Alonso was taking the long-term approach when he said, “I’m going to hit line drives, drive in guys and make it to the big leagues as soon as possible.”
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