Twins sign Denard Span to five-year, $16.5 million contract w/club option
By: Kelly Thesier/MLB.com
FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Twins have locked up their leadoff hitter, agreeing to terms with center fielder Denard Span on a five-year, $16.5 million contract extension.
The deal, which was announced Saturday, also includes a $9 million club option for the 2015 season with a $500,000 buyout.
Span is set to make $750,000 this season. He’ll make $1 million in 2011, $3 million in ’12, $4.75 million in ’13, and $6.5 million in ’14.
Last season, Span emerged as one of the top leadoff hitters in the league, batting .311 with a .392 on-base percentage and 68 RBIs in 145 games for the Twins. While he roamed all three outfield spots in 2009 for Minnesota, he will be the club’s permanent center fielder this season after Carlos Gomez was traded to Milwaukee in exchange for shortstop J.J. Hardy.
Span was Minnesota’s first-round draft pick in 2002.
Kelly's Corner 
YYYYEESSSS! He is a stud, and my favorite Twins player. Great job locking him up Billy, the next Twins jersey I’m buying is gonna be a Span!!
Thats great! But what about Mauer? They need to sign Joe before the season starts or else all bets are off on getting it done at all!
good job, now somewhere down the line he will be the protypical #2 hitter, and hopefully we will get a big-time SB guy down the line. That would set up the line-up absolutely perfect….
good job, now somewhere down the line he will be the protypical #2 hitter, and hopefully we will get a big-time SB guy down the line. That would set up the line-up absolutely perfect….
WooooHoooo! I love him! One can always count on him “coming through” for the team…this is great.