Let’s be honest here, Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner, even at age 36, still has plenty in the tank. However … he does not have four years of plenty, even if he is relegated to playing first base or becomes (an inevitable) National League designated hitter. As such, Turner going on record (through his agent Greg Genske of VaynerBaseball agency) saying that he wants a four-year free-agent contract is, quite frankly, both ludicrous and about as unprofessional as it gets.

Granted, even the most lay of laypersons knows that this is little more than a negotiating ploy, and any team seriously considering giving the extremely popular (bearded) face of the franchise such a lengthy contract is asking for trouble.

On the other side of that coin and although we do not (and probably never will) know what kind of a counteroffer Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman has made to Turner and Genske (other than having indicated that he would be willing to go two years with a performance-based option for a third), it would be in the Dodgers’ – and Friedman’s – best interest to keep the negotiating door open, in hopes that both parties will come to their senses and begin some actual good-faith negotiating.

As recently as Wednesday, Turner yet again showed his value to the city of Los Angeles off the field when he and wife Kourtney – through their popular Justin Turner Foundation – encouraged fans to support LA Chargers defensive end Isaac Rochell‘s similar Local Human – The Do Good Foundation charity.

But the cold, hard, bottom line is that Major League Baseball and the National Football League are business to make – and save – money through wise, well-thought-out, high-dollar contracts regardless of how popular the player(s) may be on – or off – the field.

Play Ball!

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