Ryan Howard Pay Day Sooner than Later?

Ryan Howard, who is arbitration-eligible this year, will be seeing a nice pay day. The question that has risen is whether or not it'll be in the form of multiple one year deals or a long-term deal.

If the Phillies sign Howard now, they may save money in the future. There are no signs that he'll stray from seasons of 35 hrs, 100 rbis, .270 avg which is worthy of at least 12 million. If they sign him to a long term deal now they can sign him for cheaper than an inflated market in the future. Ryan Howard is not free-agent eligible until 2011 when he'll be 32.

If the Phillies just offer him arbitration, Howard will likely see his salary increase to over 7 million dollars this season. I think the correct thing would be to offer Howard a long-term extension now with a value slightly higher than Chase Utley and a little below the contract of Albert Pujols. Somewhere around 7 years, 90 million. Also, they could add some incentives to raise his annual salary -- possibly a weigh-in incentive, I wish I wasn't being serious.