Why Clark isn’t a fan of potential long-term Correa contract originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
The Giants struck out on MLB free agency’s biggest fish as Aaron Judge chose to return to the New York Yankees, agreeing to a reported nine-year contract worth $360 million.
However, that doesn’t mean San Francisco isn’t going back to land a marquee free agent this offseason. The Giants are looking at the shortstop position if the move makes sense, with the most prominent name on the market being Carlos Correa.
Correa likely will receive a long-term contract, similar to what Trea Turner agreed to with the Philadelphia Phillies. But if that’s the case, former Giant Will Clark advises the team to look elsewhere as the former first baseman isn’t a fan of lengthy contracts.
“I wasn’t a big fan of anything over five years,” Clark told 95.7 The Game’s “Damon & Ratto” on Friday. “There’s too much that can happen in a 10-year span of time, much less five. So I’m not a big fan of these long, drawn-out 10-year contracts.”
Clark also points out that should the Giants land Correa, how will the team tackle the situation with Brandon Crawford? At 35, he isn’t in his prime anymore, and bringing in the former Minnesota Twins infielder is a sign the franchise wants to insert a younger player at the position.
“If they do go after Correa, alright? Not only do you got to have a talk with Crawford about playing third because you cannot waste him,” Clark continued. “You can’t put him as a DH … So Crawford is going to want to play every day. He’s an everyday guy. So you got to talk to him about playing third and maybe even [second base] …
“Another thing, too, is if you’re going to go after Correa, talk to him about maybe playing a little third and flip-flop back and forth. Crawford played two games at short, Correa two games at third and then flip- flop.”
RELATED: What Giants are planning for outfield after Aaron Judge pursuit falls short
Correa isn’t Judge, but he’s a name that will create a buzz in the Bay Area as the Giants keep up with their NL West rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres, who will compete to win the division in 2023.
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