THERE'S A SNAG IN THE SONNY GRAY TRADE

We are 21 days away from pitchers and catchers reporting to Spring Training and Sonny Gray is still a Yankee, surprisingly. The trade we've heard is going to happen hasn't yet. The Red's and Yankees have agreed on the package for the trade, but it sounds like the Red's are looking for a little more before the deal is final. So, what's the holdup?

Neither team has commented on the close to done deal that would send Gray to the Reds in exchange for second-base prospect Shed Long and a compensatory draft pick. The Reds and Yankees are in agreement with their negotiation....but now the Reds want to negotiate with Gray.

At the end of the season Gray is set to become a free agent. If the Reds are going to send a draft pick and their seventh best prospect who could be MLB ready as early as next season, they want a longer commitment from Gray, so they are trying to negotiate an extension. Jon Heyman tweeted the details over the weekend.

The Reds have been interested in Gray all off season, and maybe the connection with new pitching coach Derek Johnson will make this negotiation with Gray easier. Obviously delaying free agency isn't something players are interested in doing. If Gray went to the Reds with no extension and had an incredible bounce back season he might get a big payday from another team. In that case, the Reds lose a top prospect and a draft pick for a one-year rental if they can't sign Gray in the off season. They are already concerned about attracting pitching as it is.

But the Reds have been making upgrades with one-year rentals all winter. Other recent additions include Matt Kemp, Yasiel Puig, Tanner Roark, and Alex Wood. If the Reds can add Gray to the rotation he would be the third notable pitching addition to the rotation since the Reds acquired Roark from the Nationals and Wood from the Dodgers in other deals last month.

I think negotiating an extension with a player is always hard, but maybe the Reds have reason to be confident here because of the connection with his old pitching coach. This could be a win-win scenario here for the Reds. If they can negotiate another year or two with Gray and he has a bounce back season with them it will be good trade for both sides.

Gray said he wants to "play somewhere you're wanted" and it's clear the Reds want Gray, and reconnecting with Johnson could be the best thing for him. Here's to hoping that we hear some good news at the end of this long holiday weekend.

It's time to move on and get this deal done, best of luck to you Sonny.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj