[McClain] Eugene Wilson Re-signed

[Keith]

Okay, have a problem with Wilson's contract. Reports above indicate a $3.85 million guarantee on a total contract worth either $11.2 or $11.3 million.

Here are Wilson's base salaries for the next three seasons:
2009 - $1.85 million
2010 - $2.705 million
2011 - $3.56 million

That gives us a total for the base salaries of $8.115 million.

Simply adding the $3.85 million as a straight option bonus would give the contract a total value of $11.965 million, too much.

What to do? Hmm. Salaries are often guaranteed if option bonuses aren't exercised, but that probably isn't the case here. If you make the signing bonus $2 million and have the first year base guaranteed, then you get to the $3.85 million, but then the total contract value drops to $10.115 million, too low.