Arizona Diamondbacks: Paul Goldschmidt remains under-valued

It is unlikely the Arizona Diamondbacks will renegotiate Paul Goldschmidt’s existing contract.

Now that the calendar flipped into the new year, it’s time to get serious about team composition. Between now and commencement of spring training in about six weeks, that’s the goal for general manager Mike Hazen of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

One area in which Hazen remains hands-off is any contract discussion regarding first baseman Paul Goldschmidt.

One tenet which drives Hazen in forming his team is the amount of control he has over players. In Goldschmidt’s case, the All-Star is locked in for the next two years and cannot become a free agent until after the 2019 season. For the year ahead, Goldschmidt will earn $11.1 million and $14 million in 2019. After the 2019 season, Goldschmidt can become a free agent, but will be 32-years-old at that time.

Given his production on the baseball diamond, his leadership and influence in the clubhouse and work in the community, especially with Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Goldschmidt’s value to the franchise is well-document.

Yet, it is unlikely Hazen will rip up his existing contract and, recognize Goldschmidt, at 30-years-old, for the worth and merit he carries. That was made clear during the recent winter meetings when Hazen told Call to the Pan he refuses to discuss any personnel issue.

"“I’m not discussing any contacts here,” Hazen said last month at the meetings in Orlando. “That’s the case for any player. I’m just not getting into that.”"

A look at players with comparable worth to their clubs and closeness of ages reveals that Goldschmidt seems to be publicly undervalued by the Ken Kendrick, the Diamondbacks managing general partner, and the man with the checkbook.

Consider the three players in the running for the National League MVP in 2017. Goldschmidt was in the running along with Joey Votto of the Cincinnati Reds and Giancarlo Stanton, then of the Miami Marlins.

Votto is four years older than Goldschmidt and signed a 10-year, $225 million deal at the start of the 2014 season. For 2017, Votto earned $22 million, and will pick up $25 million in each of following years unto 2023.

In 2015, Stanton signed a 13-year, $325 million contact with the Marlins and earned $14.5 last season. With his trade to the New York Yankees, the 28-year-old will earn between $25 million and $32 million for each year until 2027.

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Comparing other first baseman, Goldschmidt’s take-home earnings pail.

Consider Wil Myers of the San Diego Padres. In 2017, Myers signed a six-year $83 million deal, but has a back-end contract. He will earn $4.5 million in 2018 and $5.5 million the following year. In 2020, his salary soars to $22.5 million and $22.5 million for the subsequent two years.

Carlos Santana, at 31-years-old, recently signed a three-year deal worth $60 with the Philadelphia Phillies. Then, there’s Brandon Belt of the San Francisco Giants. Belt inked a five-year, $72.8 million contact in 2017 and will earn $17.2 million in each of the next four years. In 2017, Belt missed time undergoing concussion protocol, and hit .241 in 104 games.

It’s clear decision-makers throughout the Diamondbacks organization recognize Goldschmidt’s value, but clearly adhered to Hazen’s driven philosophy of player control.

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After the Diamondbacks were eliminated last October from the NLDS, Goldschmidt stood in front of his locker in the Chase Field clubhouse and talked about the 2017 season in retrospective. The one issue he refused to address was his contract status and that puts him in the same page at least publicly with Hazen.

Perhaps it’s time for Kendrick to come forward and publicly recognize Goldschmidt’s value to the franchise, on the field and in the community, with an open checkbook.