Reds Sign Herman Munster to 4-Year Deal

It was snowing Eskimos and malamutes in Cincinnati when the Reds announced they had signed Aaron Harang to a four-year, $36.5 million extension. The irony of the weather should not be lost on anyone because there was no shortage of baseball insiders (and fans) who believed Harang would go home to San Diego, where it was 65 degrees and partly cloudy today, when he became a free agent in 2009.

The signing brings to close a strange offseason for Harang, whose agents, the Levinson boys, submitted a remarkably low arbitration figure of $5.5 million for a pitcher who led the NL in wins, complete games and strikeouts. The Reds countered at $4.25 mil and most everyone thought, "huh?"

Cheap bastards . . . always on the cheap in Cincinnati.

You had to figure the Levinsons would come in higher by a million or so, especially after the ludicrous contracts given Gil Meche and Jason Marquis this offseason. But what this told the Reds was Harang wanted to stay in Cincinnati, that he was content with the raise from his $2.35 mil in 2005, and Krivsky absolutely had to get him penned for the long term while the mood was right.

The signing also quiets the Krivsky bashers--momentarily--who have been screaming for this deal and a few blockbusters this offseason. If you listened to the bloggers, Krivsky is the biggest idiot this side of Stan Laurel, but the finger-pointers still fail to recognize that Krivsky works quietly, behind the scenes, and with a certain diligence. Just because he's not quoted each week in the national baseball columns doesn't mean Krivsky's got his ass in a La-Z-Boy 24/7 eating Cheetos.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Undoubtedly, Reds fans are elated with this signing, fearing Harang would bolt. But I never understood this irrational emotion because, well, the Reds still held him for two years via arbitration. But hey, four's better than two, and five is better than four if Harang continues to grow and the mutual option is picked up in 2011.

The four-year average of the deal comes out to about $9.2 mil, which is a damn bargain for a No. 1 starter in today's market. But Chris at Redleg Nation made a great point when he said the average is really just under the $12 mil a year Harang will average in the final two years because he would likely achieve his new salaries ($4.25 mil in 2007, $6.75 mil in '08) via arbitration.

So now three questions arise:

1.) Is Harang really a No. 1 starter, the guy you can count on to beat the other team's No. 1 on a regular basis? Plus, by 2009 you figure Homer Bailey to be the No. 1 starter. Harang will be making some hefty change to be No. 2 or 3 in the rotation. But perhaps $12 mil a year for a No. 2 starter will be about right by then.

2.) Is Krivsky content with his starting seven (right field: wide open) or does he turn his attention to that glaring hole in the outfield and the middle of the batting order? Think right-handed bat. Big bat.

3.) Does anyone else think Harang looks like a young Fred Gwynne of Herman Munster fame?

You know, Gwynne without the monster makeup.

Or with it.