Chicago Cubs’ shortstop Starlin Castro became the latest pre-arbitration/arbitration eligible player to receive a contract extension, with the finalization of his seven-year $60 million dollar contract on Tuesday. Castro’s contract is the third major contract of its type for the 2012 season, with the first two going to Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates’ centerfielder, and Adam Jones, Baltimore Orioles’ centerfielder. Castro, Jones, and McCutchen are the core players for their respective teams and three of the top young players in baseball. Below are some interesting numbers to look at in respect to each contract and the player themselves. Guaranteed Years: Castro 7, Jones 6, McCutchen 6 Arbitration Years Bought: Castro 4, Jones 1, McCutchen 1 Guaranteed Millions: Castro $60, Jones $85.5, McCutchen $51.5 Player Age: Castro 22, Jones 27, McCutchen 25 2011 Precontract Stats: Castro 10 HR/66 RBI/.307 BA/.773 OPS/22 SB/-8.7 UZR, Jones 25 HR/83 RBI/.280 [...]
