by Chris Kubak

​Back in the middle of December, the Phillies made what has arguably been the surprise splash of the baseball offseason to date. By agreeing to terms with first baseman Carlos Santana on a 3-year/$60MM contract, Philadelphia was able to snatch up one of biggest corner infielders on the market. In a city that has endured several long years of “The Process” and a lifetime of “maybe next years” in many of their other major sports, the move seemed to indicate that Phillies ownership and management are ready to leave the rebuilding process behind. After making the playoffs for five consecutive seasons as a perennial NL powerhouse their postseason drought has now reached a half-dozen, which is something that everyone within the cozy confines of Citizens Bank Park would like to see change as soon as possible.
 
All the same, bringing in Santana raised eyebrows across the baseball world for a multitude of reasons. Some viewed the move as a premature endeavor, since the Phillies may not be legitimate contenders until at least 2019. Still many more feel that the fit is less than ideal, since the arrival of Rhys Hoskins in August meant that first base was not a position of need. Other folks question the dollars and cents of the signing, suggesting that 3/$60MM is a lot of money to promise a player entering his age-32 season. I admit that I was initially confused by the move, both from a player personnel and a monetary viewpoint. But the more I consider all of the fine details and future implications of the deal, the more reasons I see as to why Santana will actually be a good fit in Philadelphia.