Pirates catcher Rod Barajas has a contract option for $3.5 million next season, but he may be willing to come back for less than that, he says.
↵↵↵"I would like to be back here," Barajas said. "If that means we have to try to figure something out, then absolutely." ...
↵"I’ve gotten to know the guys pretty well," Barajas said. "When you get a feel for a rotation, it’s always nice to come back and not go through a huge learning curve. It would be fun to come back."
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One might think a 37-year-old catcher with a .593 OPS who gives up stolen bases like Santa Claus on Christmas Eve would have pretty limited career options, so it's no real surprise he'd want to come back. Pirates fans, including myself, would be furious if he returned, even on a minor-league contract. Still, it's hard to dismiss the idea entirely -- the Pirates reportedly like the work Barajas does with pitchers, and if that's the case, that partially explains what he's still doing in the starting lineup despite playing a huge role in the Pirates' recent collapse. Barajas has probably played his way out of consideration for next year, but I suppose it's hard to know for sure.
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