Danks Signs 5 Year 65 Million Contract

Quite a few sources have said that John Danks signed a new deal with the White Sox, signing for 5 years and 65 million dollars. My first reaction to this signing was extreme surprise, because that is a lot of money. Slowly, I convinced myself that it was a smart move. There are a couple reasons that I think this is a smart and reasonable move. 

The first reason is because John Danks has done nothing but good since he has been a White Sox player. Last year, he didn't have many wins, but that was because he got absolutely zero run support. In his five years with the Sox he has only had one year with an ERA above 5.00 and that was his first year. Since then he hasn't had an ERA above 4.33. His average ERA is 4.03. Year after year he has shown that he can be a top of the rotation pitcher. By giving this deal, they are showing him that they trust him in big games and they want him to have a big role on the team. 

The second reason is because this is probably the money that the Sox were going to give Buehrle. I think Danks is a better long term investment. I was reluctant to admit this during the Buehrle sweepstakes, because Buehrle is beloved and I didn't want to see him go. Looking at both pitchers, I would rather have Danks in five years than Buehrle. Danks is younger and is basically a copy of Buehrle. So, we got Danks for longer and cheaper than the Marlins got Buehrle. I think that's a win for the Sox. 

The third reason that I love this deal is because it shows that the White Sox think they have found their ace. By giving Danks such a large deal, the White Sox showed that they are confident in Danks and that they want him to be there for awhile and be an important part of the team. I love this because until now, the rotation was a big question mark. Now Sox fans know for sure who will be starting on opening day.

So before you freak out about the Sox spending the Buehrle money on a guy like Danks, think it over. Danks is just like Buehrle, but younger and maybe better. We all loved Buehrle, but it was time to say goodbye. Say hello to the new ace, John Danks.