Howie Kendrick Signs Four-Year Extension With Angels

Not to worry, though: According to Bob Nightengale, the deal is just as good as you might have thought, if not better:

Howard Kendrick deal believed to be $33.5 million over four yearsRemember that according to MLB Trade Rumors’ estimate, Kendrick was likely to get just north of $5 million in arbitration this year, so this is almost like a three year, $28 million contract extension. However you look at it, it’s an amazingly low-risk, high-reward extension for a 28-year-old second baseman coming off a career year. Second basemen tend to age like peeled avocados, but the Angels did well to avoid tethering themselves to Kendrick too deep into his 30s.

Source: #Angels reach agreement with Kendrick on four-year contract, pending physical.Kendrick was entering his final year of arbitration, which MLB Trade Rumors estimated would cost the Angels just over $5 million. The extension will start in 2012, and keep him under contract until 2015.

The 28-year-old Kendrick had his best year offensively in 2011, making the All-Star team, and finishing with a .285/.338/.464 line and a career-high 18 home runs. The former 10th-round pick also started 20 games in the outfield this year, as well as 11 games at first base.