So this still might turn out to be nothing, and I don’t want to needlessly swirl the DRAMA stick, but this seems potentially significant.
Earlier today, the San Francisco Giants were scheduled to introduce newly-signed superstar shortstop Carlos Correa at a press conference. That press conference was abruptly postponed without any explanation, and everyone started wondering what was up. There was talk about waiting on test results – from the physical? from some other health check? – but it didn’t sound especially serious.
Well, about that … the AP reports that it was the physical:
We always take for granted that a deal will get finalized after it is agreed to and publicized, but the health check is always that last step. Correa, 28, has dealt with a number of health issues in his career, but he has generally been regarded as “healthy” lately. When you’re committing $350 million over 13 years, though, you are probably going to be very thorough in that physical examination to make sure there are no degenerative or other performance risks lurking on an MRI.
To be sure: we don’t know what the issue is, or if it’s even all that serious. But cancelling the press conference to – presumably? – take the issue back to Correa’s camp is a pretty extraordinary step. Are we going to see a renegotiation? Will it just be a matter of building in some health-related performance incentives/vesting options? What happens if the Mets try to slide back in, as they did at the last minute before Correa agreed with the Giants, according to owner Steve Cohen? Will the Twins sprint to have another shot? Or will every team be spooked at this point?
I have only questions and no answers. Yet. Surely the Cubs won’t try to sneak in and land a second top shortstop, right …
UPDATE: The Mets really did swoop back in. And Correa is signing with them. Wow.