The contract provides for a club option for 2013 at $10 million with a five-year buyout.

The deal helps Kinsler by avoiding arbitration and gives the Rangers at least one or two years before he becomes a free agent. Kinsler gets a $1 million signing bonus and a $500,000 contract for 2008. It will increase to $3 million in 2009, $4 million in 2010, $6 million in 2011 and $7 million in 2012. The Rangers will be keeping him with the Team through 2013.

Kinsler is starting his third season with the Rangers. The team’s Rookie of the Year in 2006, he followed up by hitting .263 with 20 home runs and 61 RBIs in 130 games. The Rangers was also led by Kinsler with 96 runs and 23 stolen bases.

The Rangers, who made like deals with Hank Blalock and Michael Young early in their careers, made a statement that Kinsler will become a leader for the next wave of young players on the border of coming through the system.