clarinews@clarinet.com (JOE CIALINI, UPI Sports Writer) (01/19/90)
PHILADELPHIA (UPI) -- The Philadelphia Phillies Thursday signed pitcher Ken Howell to a multi-year, multi-million dollar contract, making him the second player this week inked to a lucrative long-term deal. Howell, 29, who was 12-12 with a 3.44 ERA last season, signed a three-year deal worth $4.75 million. The contract includes a fourth year worth $2.1 million at the team's option. Howell last month signed a one-year contract worth $615,000 but could have become a free agent at the end of the 1990 season. Phillies General Manager Lee Thomas said the sizeable contracts signed recently by free agents made the team more interested in signing its key players to long-term deals. Earlier this week, reliever Roger McDowell signed a three-year contract worth $6 million. ``That has a lot to do with it,'' Thomas said. ``In Howell and McDowell, we signed two of our top players. We don't want to lose these guys. They're two of our big guys and we don't want to lose our big guys.'' The Phillies Thursday also signed infielder-outfielder Randy Ready to a one-year contract worth $520,000 and signed pitcher Jason Grimsley to a one-year deal and did not disclose the terms. Ready was one of seven Philadelphia players who filed for salary arbitration this week. The other six were pitchers Don Carman and Jeff Parrett, catcher Darren Daulton, infielders Steve Jeltz and Dickie Thon and outfielder Curt Ford. Representatives of the team and player have until noon Friday to submit a figure for a one-year contract and an arbitrator will choose one of the proposals. Ready, 30, who came to the Phillies last June from San Diego in a three-player trade, hit .264 last season with eight home runs and 26 RBI. Howell's contract includes a $500,000 signing bonus and salaries of $550,000 for the 1990 season, $1.7 million for 1991, $2 million for 1992 and $2.1 million if the Phillies pick up his option in 1993. The deal also includes bonuses for the Cy Young award and All-Star game. Thomas said the Phillies had wanted to sign Howell to a three-year deal all along, but settled on a shorter contract last month. ``We had discussed both a one-year and a three-year deal back then,'' Thomas said. ``We settled on one year at the time with the idea we would keep the lines of communication open for a long-term deal.'' Howell said he was pleased to sign the lucrative contract. ``I feel great,'' he said. ``It's like I hit the lottery. But it's a good feeling to know I'm established and I have a place to be. It's nice to not worry about putting up numbers so I can get paid. Now I can just play the game for the love of the game and do my best each time out.'' Howell was dealt to the Phillies before the 1989 season from Baltimore in return for outfielder Phil Bradley, only a short time after he had been sent to the Orioles by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Howell reported overweight to spring training last year and said he has already started working out for the coming season. The signings of Howell, Ready and Grimsley left the Phillies with 21 unsigned players, including the six who filed for arbitration.