Steve Slaton's new agent Harold Lewis told Paul Kuharsky via email:
"WE ARE ALL SO EXCITED TO HAVE HIM PART OF OUR FAMILY ..WE ALL KNEW WHAT A TALENT HE WAS ON THE FIELD, BUT THIS KID IS EVEN BETTER OFF THE FIELD!!!! OUR ENTIRE TEAM HERE AT NSA TRULY FEELS BLESSED TO HAVE HIM...""OUR HOPE FOR HIM IS THAT HE WILL JUST GET BETTER AND BETTER EVERY WEEK, AND HELP HIS TEAM TO THE PLAYOFFS AND BEYOND ...AND AFTER REALLY GETTING TO KNOW HIM, I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT WILL HAPPEN....OF COURSE WITH SUCCESS COMES GREAT "NEW " CONTRACTS....AND NOTHING MAKES ME HAPPIER THEN THAT!!!!"
"STAY TUNED..."
So what can we take away from this besides the fact that Lewis uses capitalization and exclamation marks like a 14 year old girl texting at the mall? I think Lewis is playing this one smart by not going for the jugular immediately. If Slaton held out I think it would likely get him a new contract, but if they press the issue next off season the value will skyrocket if Stevie Wonder's 2009 production matches that of 2008. Even though that would cost the Texans more money in the long term, it will be beneficial to have one less contract dispute before 2009.