Just a quick hit here…
The Phillies signed Greg Dobbs to a 2-year, $2.5 million contract, avoiding arbitration. We weren’t about to lose Dobbs, as this was his first year of arbitration, but I’m all for giving him 2 years of security. Best pinch hitter in the MLB, $2.5 million is a steal.
Howard, Hamels, Victorino, Werth, Madson, Blanton and Durbin are all eligible for arbitration. Monty better get his checkbook ready as Ken Rosenthal has already speculated that our payroll could balloon to $130+ million.
http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/hamels_signs_new_contract.html
Wow, what a World Series discount compared to what Lowe just received. We got Hamels on the cheap. I’m glad they locked him up. I wonder what Ryan Howard is thinking right now or could he be next.
Hamels new deal
Rosenthals gives a little more explanation. Its an incentive laden contract which makes sense for the Phils but for Hamels, I’m not so sure…
Thanks Wizz. Great news.
Buys out his arbitration years so he’ll make more up front and still allows him to become a free agent at the same time he would have anyway—good for him.
We show that we appreciate what he has done for us, reward him for his season and, maybe even more importantly, his postseason, establish a level of trust and a good relationship going forward which should give us a good shot at keeping him after this contract is up, and only commit to him for 3 years, minimizing any long term risk—-good for us.
I wonder what Howard is thinking too. All of our “top” guys, Rollins, Utley, Lidge, and now Hamels (Burrell misjudged the market, turned down a reasonable 2-year, $22 mil offer, and got burned), have been reasonable in their contract demands. I can only hope that Howard sees this, realizes what we’ve got here, and decides to be reasonable as well.