Eric SorensonPaul Goldschmidt is ‘America’s First Baseman.’
He’s the face of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
“Goldy” is also a four-time All-Star and respected off the field just as much as he is on it. In many ways Goldschmidt and Arizona is the perfect marriage. One would think it’s unthinkable the potential future free agent would have wandering eyes.
Or is it?
“He is absolutely happy in Arizona,” ESPN insider Pedro Gomez told Sports360AZ.com’s Brad Cesmat in a recent phone interview. But having said that an agent will sit a player down and explain to him, ‘Ok, I understand you’re very happy in Arizona but you’re going to be a free agent. You’re at a prime age to be a free agent…look at your years in Arizona. There hasn’t been a lot of contending going on.'”
Hi Goldy! ? #ASG pic.twitter.com/gmdMQ9TJit
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) July 12, 2016
Gomez says Goldschmidt isn’t the type of player who will be persuaded by his representatives about his future but the facts don’t lie: Arizona is headed towards another playoff-less fall and hasn’t made the post-season since 2011.
“He is very level-headed so he is going to listen to everything that is explained to him,” Gomez explained to Cesmat. “If being on a consistent contender is something he wants to do you can bet the market for a guy like that is going to be enormous.”
A potential landing spot?
Gomez says the Los Angeles Dodgers could be the type of team who could make a run at Goldy. Current Dodgers’ first baseman Adrian Gonzalez’s career is winding down and could coincide with Goldschmidt potentially hitting the open market.
“If you just look at connecting the dots,” he said. “You know that the Dodgers are the kind of organization that can open their checkbooks much wider than any organization in baseball. You never know.”
Goldschmidt recently hired Excel Sports Management as representation. He was formerly a client of ISE Baseball and agent Joe Sambito. The 28-year-old slugger is under contract with the D-backs through 2018 with a $14.5 million team option for 2019.
