Perez's contract becomes hot topic for KC
KANSAS CITY -- During the middle of the season, Royals catcher Salvador Perez openly pondered whether he already had outgrown, in terms of value, the long-term contract he signed in 2012.
That issue has come up again on Twitter and on talk shows after Perez was unanimously voted the 2015 World Series Most Valuable Player Award winner. It has been enough of a topic that Royals general manager Dayton Moore addressed it at his season-ending news conference Thursday.
• Shop for Royals World Series champs gear
In 2012, Perez signed a five-year, $7 million deal that included three club options after that, potentially carrying the deal through '19 with a maximum value of $26.5 million.
Moore reminded reporters that Kansas City took a big risk by signing Perez to a long-term deal when Perez was at such a young age (21 at the time).
Video: Moore, Yost discuss terrific 2015 and look to 2016
"[Renegotiating Perez's deal] is not anything I would discuss here," Moore said. "Salvy is under contract. We felt very good when we did that deal. He was signed with 34 days of service time. I believe it was the first catcher in history to sign a long-term deal with that little amount of service time.
"It was controversial then. He didn't have any success or track record of being a hitter in the Minor Leagues. Certainly didn't have a track record in the Major Leagues. We felt he would catch and throw. We loved his leadership abilities.
"We paid him along the same lines as Yadier Molina. And that's how we structured the deal. And Salvy has done a tremendous job, but he's under contract."
Video: Perez receives World Series MVP Award in presentation
Would Moore be open to restructuring the deal?
"That's a decision we'd have to discuss as an organization," Moore said. "I don't know when the right time is to do that. I don't know if there have been examples of [restructuring long-term deals]. But if a player doesn't perform, the club is usually often wishing it didn't [do a long-term deal].
"But you know, we love Salvy. He's family. We'll see."
Perez and his agency, the Beverly Hills Sports Council, were unavailable for comment.