Lost in the shuffle of the playoff race and the playoffs themselves, Jersey announced on September 28th that they had come to terms with superstar ace Jose Ramos on a 7 year contract extension. Ramos the 6 time All-Star and 3 time 20-game winner was rewarded with the most lucrative contract in Jersey Shore history. The extension will pay him $163.52 million over the next 7 seasons, which comes to an average of $23.36M per season. This number is over 3 times what he made this season and the contract will pay him through his 35 year old season.
"It was an easy but yet a tough decision for us," GM Josh Swain commented, "the guy has won 49 games over the last 2 years and is one of the elite starters in the game. It was a no brainer to re-sign him in the position we are in right now. The money was a little difficult, but you have to pay to keep top talent and that's all it really comes down to."
With Los Angeles likely to decline Stan Hickman's $23.7M team option, Ramos will become the 3rd or 4th highest paid player of the 2024 season at the moment. Jersey's decision on star Mike Bryant's team option of $26M would be third if it's picked up.
Ramos led the league in wins for the 2nd straight year with 24 and finished 2nd only behind Kevin Bush in pitcher WAR with 7.9 compared to Bush's 9.3. It was the 6th season of Ramos's career that he surpassed 225 innings pitched and age 28 he sits with a record of 136-46. The 136 wins place him in a 2-way tie for 20th place all time with Chuck Phillips.
Finances with Jersey Shore might get interesting next season with Dave Dodd, Mikey Bryant and Sergio Martinez contracts are all up, but the D-Bags should bring a loaded team next year still searching for that 1st title.
GO D-BAGS
