The Los Angeles Angels signed their franchise pitcher to a huge discount on Tuesday afternoon.
What they received from Jered Weaver on Wednesday night was anything but cut rate.
One day after explaining why he left around $40 million on the table to forgo free agency and stick with his hometown team, Weaver took the mound before an adoring crowd at Angel Stadium and did what he does best. The big righty struck out eight and allowed only four hits over seven shutout innings during an 8-0 win over the Chicago White Sox.
But if that line looks familiar from a pitcher who leads the American League with a 2.03 ERA, Weaver acknowledged the atmosphere at the ballpark was anything but.
"I think they were a little louder tonight. I saw some signs that you don't usually see out there," Weaver said.
Angels fans had a right to be delirious. In locking up Weaver for five years and $85 million, they secured one of baseball's best young pitchers for less money and fewer years than the Chicago Cubs gave Carlos Zambrano awhile back. After winning their last six games, the Halos are also right back in the middle of the AL West race ? just 2.5 games back ? following last week's disastrous series against the Texas Rangers. True to his reputation as a franchise rock, Weaver plans to pitch on just three days rest in this weekend's big series against Texas. He clearly has an opportunity to unseat Tim Salmon or Garret Anderson as the "truest" Mr. Angel.
As we remarked after Cliff Lee's decision to give up bigger bucks in Texas or New York to rejoin the Philadelphia Phillies, it's hard to nominate anyone for sainthood when they're still signing for more money than they'll ever know what to do with. Weaver and his family are set for life and living in Southern California. No one should cry for them.
Still, like Lee, Weaver's discount already looks like it's going to pay some early dividends. And it's nice to see choices like that rewarded with the intangible benefits that drove their decision-making in the first place.
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