Jan 15, 2009

All-star first baseman averts contentious arbitration

I thought contract negotiations for both of our first basemen - Ryan Howard and Kevin Youkilis - would get a bit sticky this year.

Happily, one of them is settled. Youk will be a Red Sox through his prime, getting a four-year, $41 million contract with a club option for another year at $13 million. Youkilis will be 30 next year so the Red Sox won't be stuck with him if he declines because of age.

Hopefully, the Phillies' stars will follow suit and take more modest contracts to remain with a winner rather than pumping the market for every last dollar. How did that work out for Johnny Damon, Aaron Rowand and Manny Ramirez?

This bit of late-breaking pleasant news almost made me forget the big news of the day: Charlie Manuel texts. Christine and I don't text much, but it looks like Cholly and Andy Reid are BFF. The story says they just offer each other encouragement, but I'm not so sure Cholly hasn't been crafting plays for the Birds, who may be on the verge of winning a Super Bowl. (Please let the Cardinals stop them.)

Since the World Series ended, giving Cholly some free time, the Eagles are 7-3-1. I know that includes the rough stretch in which losses against the Giants and Ravens sandwiched the sickening tie with the Bengals. But hey, even Manuel's Phillies had that rough stretch in June.

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