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Howard Gets $54M Deal

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The Associated Press

The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 9, 2009

PHILADELPHIA - Ryan Howard just wanted to concentrate on baseball this spring. No squabbles concerning his contract. No daily questions about his future.

The big slugger got his wish - and a hefty raise, too.

Howard and the Philadelphia Phillies agreed to a $54 million, three-year contract Sunday, avoiding a potentially contentious arbitration hearing.

The 2006 NL MVP will earn $15 million this season, $19 million next year and $20 million in 2011.

"The things that have happened prior with Ryan, it was really nothing adversarial, although I know with some people it was depicted that way," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. "We just agreed to disagree. It didn't make us love Ryan any less, and it didn't make Ryan love us any less."

Howard led the majors with 48 homers and 146 RBIs last season while helping the Phillies win their first World Series title since 1980. He batted just .251, struck out 199 times and made 19 errors at first base, but also was runner-up to Albert Pujols for MVP.

"I'm happy to have this done and to know that I'll be in Philadelphia for at least another three years," Howard said in a statement.

The 29-year-old Howard has less than four years of service time in the majors, so he wasn't eligible for free agency until after the 2011 season. Now the two sides won't have to worry about any more arbitration hearings.

Howard asked for $18 million in salary arbitration, and Philadelphia offered him $14 million.

BRAVES: Atlanta has made an offer to Tom Glavine, but he hasn't decided whether to accept a significant pay cut. Media reports said the offer would include a base salary of less than $2 million, but he could earn up to $3 million, including incentives, if he remained healthy through the season. Last year he made $8 million with the Braves.

RANGERS: Texas has agreed to a minor-league contract with center fielder Andruw Jones, who was released by the Dodgers last month. The deal was disclosed by a person familiar with the agreement who spoke on condition of anonymity because the Rangers had not yet announced it.

ROYALS: Mark Teahen and Kansas City agreed to a one-year contract worth $3,575,000 and avoided salary arbitration.

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