Giants re-sign Lopez, pickup Affeldt's option

[love_that_reefer]

Javier Lopez and the Giants have agreed to an $8.5 million, two-year contract, according to the Associated Press.
The 34-year-old was set to hit free agency before San Francisco locked him up. He'll earn $4.25 million in each of the next two seasons after earning $2.375 million in 2011. Lopez is 7-2 with a 2.38 ERA in 97 appearances since being acquired from Pittsburgh in 2010. The Giants must decide by Monday whether to exercise the $5 million contract option on fellow left-handed reliever Jeremy Affeldt, who had a 2.63 ERA in 67 appearances this season. Affeldt, who sustained a season-ending hand injury in September, has a $500,000 buyout.

I don't like relievers making that much but rather Lopez get paid over Affeldt. Lopez has been gold since coming to SF and our best lefty setup man. Combined with Romo, they are one of the best combos in the business. No way I want Affeldt back now. It just doesn't make fiscal sense to pay two relievers that much money.

[love_that_reefer]

Giants exercised Jeremy Affeldt's $5 million club option for 2012.
Affeldt would have been owed a $500,000 buyout if the Giants declined. It's the second transaction the club made Sunday concerning a left-handed reliever after inking Javier Lopez to a $8.5 million, two-year contract. San Francisco has single-handedly dried up a weak lefty free agent market, but has now devoted $9.25 million to Lopez and Affeldt for the 2012 season. Affeldt, 32, posted a 2.63 ERA and 54/24 K/BB ratio over 61 2/3 innings in 2011. The southpaw needed season-ending surgery in early-September after cutting his non-throwing hand in a kitchen accident. He should have no trouble getting back to 100 percent health by the start of spring training.

$9.25 million on two relievers, $17.75 million if you include Wilson. That's just irresponsible!!