Phillies Sign Howard For $54-Million

Not a bad deal considering the guy is an RBI machine:

PHILADELPHIA -- Ryan Howard just wanted to concentrate on baseball this spring. No squabbles over 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 on 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. He can increase the base salary by $1 million in each of the last two years if he wins the MVP award during the previous year. He can boost it by $500,000 if he finishes second.

He's earned it and they won a Series so it had to be done.

Let's get started now and defend the title.

Exit question: Will Philly talk radio idiots stop getting on the Phils as being a small market team?