As has been the custom around Citizens Bank Park the past few years, the Phillies avoided arbitration with two more players today, with Shane Victorino and Joe Blanton joining Chad Durbin in signing contracts.
First to be announced today was a 3 year deal with Heavy Joe for a total of $24 million. A little less than the $10 million/year he was asking for in arbitration, but still a great deal nonetheless. Blanton has been a very solid #3 for the Phillies the past year and a half, so this is a great reward for him. It’s a good deal for the Phillies as well to be able to lock down a very important part of their rotation. Blanton is an innings eater and is important to have the middle of the rotation signed for a few years.
In an interesting twist, Blanton will only make $1 million in salary this season, with the rest of the money coming in a $6 million signing bonus. He then makes $8.75 million in 2011 & 2012.
While this will upset people who think the Phillies should have kept Clifton Phifer, it wasn’t possible. Blanton is a hell of a lot cheaper than Lee would have been. Lee will command a contract around $20 million/year after this season, and the Phillies simply can’t afford to pay that much money to pitchers. Lee is gone, Blanton is here, move on.
Later in the day, news started coming out that the Flyin’ Hawaiian was also signed to an extension. It’s apparently a 3 year extension, which will get him through his final two years of arbitration and his first year of free agency. No financial numbers are out there yet, but they’ll probably come out tomorrow. (UPDATE: According to Zo, the deal is worth $22 million.)
Not a surprise that Victorino signed an extension, as he was named to the All Star team for the first time and won his second Gold Glove this past season. However, with Victorino and Ibanez locked up for the next two years, and Dominic Brown knocking on the door, there are some doubts that Jayson Werth will be signed to an extension after this season. I like Werth, but it’s going to be interesting to see what kind of contract he is looking for next year.
That leaves the Phillies with one arbitration player left unsigned. Carlos Ruiz is the only one left, and with no young catchers in the system, it’s almost a given that Chooch will be signed to an extension.
Ruben Amaro is doing his best to keep this team together, while still looking out for the future. He’s made major moves in his short time as GM and I’m looking forward to seeing what else he’s got up his sleeves.
(The Zo Zone: Phillies lock up Victorino, too, Phillies sign Blanton to three-year, $24 million extension.
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