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He stays!

The Phillies have signed Cole Hamels to a six-year, $144 million deal, according to reports. Buster Olney was the first to Tweet the news, at 6:18 a.m

Hamels’ average annual salary will be $24 million a year– the second highest in baseball for a pitcher and same as Cliff Lee. Matt Gelb points out that it is also the second largest contract ever for a pitcher and the richest in Philadelphia sports history. And Jayson Stark put it best: There had never been a team with two $20 million per year starters until the 2012 Phillies. Now they have three.

CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman writes that the Phillies offered $80 million to Hamels last year. He said no… and earned himself another $64 million.

USA Today's Bob Nightengale says there is a vesting option for a seventh year that could make the total package worth more than $160 million, meaning the Cole Hamels Millions Meter, whose last estimate came in at $155 million, was oh-so-close.