Posted by Matt Sisson on Monday, February 16, 2009 at 9:02 am

Ervin Santana and the Angels reached an agreement on a 4 year, $30MM deal on the day in which pitchers and catchers had their first work out in Tempe, AZ. The Angels have locked up Santana for all three of his arbitration years and at least the first year of free agency. The deal includes a $13MM option for 2013 which would keep him with the Angels during what would equate to his second free agency eligible year.

Santana, who was an all star in 2008, went 16-7 with a 3.49ERA, bouncing back from a 2007 season in which he went 7-14 with a 5.76 ERA with oddly one sided home road splits. Despite winning just 7 games in 2007, Santana is the youngest active pitcher to collect at least 50 wins before age 26. Joseph Hylton had this to say about Santana on the SABR-L, “Santana, with 51 wins, was born on January 10, 1983. According to baseball-reference.com, of the 150 active pitchers with the most career victories, only two are younger, and neither has yet won 50. They are Scott Kazmir, born January 24, 1984, with 47 wins, and Justin Verlander, born February 20, 1983, with 46. Meanwhile, Jeremy Bonderman, born two and a half months later than Santana, on October 28, 1982, has won 59.”

The Angels have locked up a good young arm who has made significant improvements to his game as he’s learned to pitch in the majors. Santana has given himself financial security in a time when players like Bobby Abreu are playing for what looks like peanuts. This signing will end up looking like a bargain for the Angels come 2013.