Happy Guy

You'd be smiling too if you'd just signed a five-year contract to play ball for a guaranteed $30.5 million. The Phillies announced Thursday they'd locked up center fielder Odubel Herrera through 2021 -- with options for two additional years. A virtual unknown when the Phils snatched him from Texas two years ago in the Rule 5 draft, the sweet-hitting Venezuela native was projected as a utilityman.
He's proven to be a lot more: a superb spring training helped him make the majors in 2015; then he hit close to .300, and after playing middle infield up till that point, took to center field surprisingly well. Then, for an encore, he raised his home run total to 15 and his stolen bases to 25. And he looks like he's always having fun on the field. Going from a question mark to a cornerstone of the Phillies rebuild. Well played, Mr. Herrera.

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