Paul Sullivan: Nolan Arenado's $260 million deal bodes well for Kris Bryant's future payday

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - In a span of nine days here in the Valley of Sun, baseball owners handed out two record-setting contracts.

First came Manny Machado's 10-year, $300 million deal with the Padres on Feb. 19, the biggest free-agent contract in the history of American sports. On Wednesday in Scottsdale, the Rockies officially handed Nolan Arenado an eight-year, $260 million extension, the largest contract based on average annual value - $32.5 million - for a position player in major league history.

Meanwhile, a few other players agreed to