Ryan Howard

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Today, Ryan Howard signed a 5 year $125 million contract. Was he worth THAT much? I do not think so. Did we need to ensure he stays in Phillies pinstripes? Absolutely.

At first, I was very angry that the Phillies made this move. Howard is 30 years old, and this extension does not go into effect until 2012. So, when he is 32, this move goes into effect. Howard, who has a career batting average of .226 vs. LHP, will be making $25 million at the age of 35 and 36. That is insane. The guy can't hit lefties, and he will be making all this money when most players are on their decline. Chances are, so is Howard.

Then, I thought about it a little more. He is in better shape than previous years. If he maintains it, he can still be productive. His defense has been great, and you can always count on 40+ homers and 120+ RBIs. If he stays in shape, he may very well be productive as he ages. But, it's hard to believe he can put up those types of numbers as he gets older. To even have a chance at that, he will need to stay in shape and avoid injury. All I can say is that I bet that's what the Phillies are banking on; that he will stay healthy and will be worth the $25 million at an old age for MLB standards. Even if that is what they are thinking, I still think that is way too much money for him. I think someone who strikes out 200 times per season and doesn't bat over .280 isn't worth $125 million. In Howard's case, I would have given him $90 million over 5 years. That's $18 million per year, and I think that would have been a fair offer. One thing is for sure, thank god he isn't headed to the Mets or Atlanta in 2012. Both are teams who would have loved to have him, especially the Mets who lack a true number 4 hitter and 1st baseman. What do you think of the Howard deal?