What loyalty.
Even in an off year next year he still would've had offers that at the very least would have approached the current offer. And his hometown team likely would have given him that money.
I don't think there's alot of people in this world who would give up living in their hometown for 10 months a year while making the same, if not more money, to play for the team and city that gave them everything they have. This isn't like alot of big contracts being handed out these days--loyalty played a huge factor.
Athletes like this don't come around too often. There are two current Jays that have a very strong chance of spending their lengthy careers as Blue Jays. That's unheard of in today's world. Not one, but two.
VBF, I agree with you to a certain extent. However, most jobs don't involve guaranteed contracts that pay out even if one is unable to perform the work involved up to the standard to which they were signed.
If V-Dub shreds his achilles tendon in 2007, like he almost did a couple of years ago, and misses any time from the rest of the season to quite possibly derailing his career, I'm pretty sure he will be thankful that he signed *this* off-season and not have waited until next December. Put it this way, if Doc proceeds to make 30+ starts/season through 2010, his extension will be seen as a great thing; but if he goes on to make 21 and 19 starts as he did in 2004 and 2005, respectively, his "loyalty" contract would be seen by many as a payroll albatross (i.e. why give so much to an injury prone player?)
Not that I don't respect and appreciate Doc's and Vernon's decisions as a Jays fan, it's just that the dynamics that they consider in terms of when to sign and where to play are influenced by factors such as risk-of-injury, and, say, in Vernon's case, protection in the line-up that will allow him to excel but not be burdened by having to carry the team offensively, that the rest of us don't bother considering when we decide upon our work/life situations. I'm pretty sure that their huge guaranteed contracts are "fair" compromises for being restricted from choosing where they ply their trade.
