Phillies agree to 3 year $54 million deal with Howard

[Mark Carver]

Phillies agree to 3 year $54 million deal with Howard. This buys out his last 2 years of arbitration and 1 year of free agency.

The Phillies today agreed on a three-year, $54 million contract with slugger Ryan Howard, a source close to the situation told The Inquirer.

Howard deal includes a $1m trade provision

Here's the breakdown on the Howard deal: $15 million in 2009, $19 million in 2010 and $20 million in his walk year of 2011.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the contract is a clause that would require the Phillies to pay Howard $1 million if he is traded before Nov. 1, 2010.

Howard's base salary would increase by $1 million in 2010 and 2011 if he was named MVP in the preceding season. In 2011, an MVP would bring him a $1 million bonus. Bonuses are also included for World Series MVP ($100,000), LCS MVP ($50,000), Gold Glove ($50,000), $100,000 for Silver Slugger, and $50,000 for an All-Star selection.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Not too sure why it makes sense to buy out two years of arb to just gain one year of FA. Unless they think Howard could be awarded $15MM+ by an arbiter each of the next two seasons.

[Crazysilver03]

Phillies agree to 3 year $54 million deal with Howard. This buys out his last 2 years of arbitration and 1 year of free agency.

This is incorrect. This buys out his three years of arbitration. He was a super-2 last year.

Not too sure why it makes sense to buy out two years of arb to just gain one year of FA. Unless they think Howard could be awarded $15MM+ by an arbiter each of the next two seasons.

As stated above, this doesn't buy out a year of free agency. Howard asked for $18M this off-season in arbitration. If he received that, what would stop him for asking for $20M next year and $25M the following year. So the Phillies took a chance and gave him an annual $18M a year contract. There is talk the Phillies will let him walk when he becomes a free agent because he won't be worth the money after the next three seasons.

[Baltimoron]

It is an unnecessary risk to lock up an extra $39 million on a 29 year old, superfat first baseman who has performed significantly worse each subsequent MLB season when you don't have to.

Howard was not worth 18 million in free agent dollars either of the last two years according to Fangraphs' numbers. link.

The Phillies' upside is they maybe save a couple million and Howard is somewhat happy. But its not like he is gonna flip out over pay if you give him a one year 16 million deal.

The downside is they basically drive their franchise into the ground by massively overpaying for a bad body, out-making, defensive liability who not unexpectedly suffers massive decline in his early 30s.

[Baltimoron]

what would stop him for asking for $20M next year and $25M the following year.

He's real fat, already average at a position where the worst fielders play, has performed mad worse at the plate each MLB season and is gonna be 30 this year.