Baseball Capsules: Rangers reach 1-year deals with Hamilton, Ray
ARLINGTON — All-Star slugger Josh Hamilton reached an agreement Tuesday on a $3.25 million contract with the Texas Rangers, who also brought back one of their former top prospects from Japan for a spot in their starting rotation.
Right-hander Colby Lewis, selected 38th overall as a supplemental first-round pick in 1999 by the Rangers, agreed to a two-year deal worth at least $5 million, a contract that includes a club option for 2012. He spent the last two seasons with Hiroshima, where he was 26-17 with a 2.82 ERA in 55 games.
"This is not the development plan we had in mind when he was our top prospect," general manager Jon Daniels said.
Hamilton was eligible for arbitration for the first time after hitting .268 with 10 home runs and 54 RBIs during an injury-plagued season a year ago, when he made $565,000.
Texas also settled with right-handed reliever Chris Ray, who was acquired in December from Baltimore for pitcher Kevin Millwood. Ray gets a $975,000, one-year contract, up from last season’s $850,000.
The only Rangers still in salary arbitration are right-handed starter Scott Feldman and closer Frank Francisco.
Feldman, a 17-game winner last season, is seeking $2.9 million while Texas is offering $2.05 million. Francisco has asked for $3.6 million and the Rangers have countered with $3 million.
Lewis will get $1.75 million this season and can make $500,000 in performance bonuses. His 2011 salary is $3 million, and the club option is for $3.25 million with a $250,000 buyout.
Lewis won 10 games a rookie for the Rangers in 2003 and was in the rotation to start the 2004 season before tearing the rotator cuff in his right shoulder. Detroit then got him on a waiver claim, but he missed all of 2005 recovering from surgery and made only two appearances for the Tigers the following year. He spent one season with Oakland before going to Japan.
"When I was younger, I didn’t have real command of the strike zone," Lewis said. "When I hurt my shoulder, coming back from that, it put me in a situation where I wasn’t throwing as hard. So I really had to command the fastball."
Plus, Lewis worked on developing his breaking and offspeed stuff, giving him a better repertoire of pitches.
Lewis had 369 strikeouts and only 46 walks over 354 1-3 innings in Japan. In his 72 major league games before that, he had 155 strikeouts and 124 walks in 217 1-3 innings.
"All the signs, all the attributes that we liked at that time (he was drafted), all the reasons that we thought he would be successful have ultimately come to pass," Daniels said. "He’s become a premium strike-thrower with big stuff, a guy that’s taken the ball with regularity."
Bourn, Lindstrom, Quintero agree with Astros
HOUSTON — The Astros have avoided arbitration by agreeing to one-year contracts with center fielder Michael Bourn, right-hander Matt Lindstrom and catcher Humberto Quintero.
Bourn gets $2.4 million, Lindstrom $1,625,000 and Quintero $750,000 under Tuesday’s deals. All three can earn additional bonuses.
The 27-year-old Bourn led the NL with 61 stolen bases last year. Bourn was Houston’s leadoff man for most of the season and set career highs in runs (97), hits (173), doubles (27), triples (12) and walks (63). He also became the first Astros outfielder to win a Gold Glove since Cesar Cedeno won five straight between 1972-76.
Lindstrom, 29, was acquired during the winter meetings in a trade with Florida. He made 54 relief appearances for the Marlins last year, converting 15 saves in 17 chances.
The 30-year-old Quintero hit .236 with four home runs and 14 RBIs in 60 games with Houston last season, his fifth with the Astros.
Houston has three remaining players in arbitration: left-handers Tim Byrdak and Wandy Rodriguez, and outfielder Hunter Pence.
Leaguewide News
Lincecum asks for $13 million in arbitration
San Francisco Giants ace Tim Lincecum asked for $13 million in salary arbitration, a record for a player eligible for the first time, and Seattle pitcher Felix Hernandez closed in on a five-year contract with the Mariners worth about $78 million.
On the busiest day of baseball’s offseason, 71 players eligible for arbitration reached agreements on contracts, leaving just 38 still on track for hearings next month. That’s a fraction of the more than 200 players eligible for arbitration in November, the 128 who filed on Friday and the 46 who swapped figures with their teams earlier Tuesday.
Boston Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon agreed to a $9.35 million, one-year deal, the highest salary for a reliever with at least four years of major league service. The agreement surpassed Mariano Rivera’s $7.25 million contract after the 2000 season and was halfway between the $10.25 million Papelbon asked for and the $8.45 million the Red Sox offered.
Colorado reached a preliminary agreement on a $22.5 million, three-year contract with closer Huston Street and a $7.55 million, two-year deal with setup man Rafael Betancourt, two other people said separately, also on condition of anonymity because the agreements were not yet final.
Lincecum is seeking the richest contract ever awarded in arbitration, surpassing the $10 million that Alfonso Soriano (2006) and Francisco Rodriguez (2008) received in losses and Ryan Howard won at a hearing in 2008. Howard’s request had been the highest ever for a player in his first year of eligibility.
San Francisco offered $8 million to Lincecum, 40-17 with a 2.90 ERA since he was brought up early in the 2007 season. He won the NL Cy Young Award in his each of first two full seasons, becoming the first repeat winner since Randy Johnson from 1999-02. Lincecum was a bargain for the Giants last year, when he made $650,000.
Also on Tuesday, Lincecum agreed to pay $513 to resolve marijuana charges against him in Washington state. He originally faced two misdemeanor charges of marijuana and drug paraphernalia possession stemming from a traffic stop on Oct. 30. The charges were reduced to a civil infraction.
Hernandez asked for the second-highest figure in arbitration, $11.5 million, and the Mariners offered $7.2 million. The value of his agreement was confirmed by a person with knowledge of the deal, also on condition of anonymity because the contract was not yet finished.
Tampa Bay and pitcher Matt Garza both filed at $3.35 million, an unusual occurrence. Not surprisingly, they also agreed at that figure.
Lincecum’s $5 million difference with the Giants is the largest among cases that could be decided by three-person panels of arbitrators. Other large gaps also involved pitchers: Joe Blanton and Philadelphia ($10.25 million vs. $7.5 million), Justin Verlander and Detroit ($8.5 million and $6.9 million) and Wandy Rodriguez and Houston ($7 million and $5 million).
Among free agents, the Tigers finalized their $14 million, two-year contract with Jose Valverde, who will become their closer.
Bengie Molina opted to stay with the San Francisco Giants, agreeing to a one-year deal that guarantees the catcher $4.5 million and allows him to earn $1.5 million more based on games started, two people familiar with those talks said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because that agreement wasn’t announced.
Molina turned down a proposal from the New York Mets that would have guaranteed $5.5 million and included a vesting option for 2011.
-- Ronald Blum
American League
Jose Valverde, Tigers finalize $14 million deal
DETROIT — The Detroit Tigers are hoping "Papa Grande" comes up big for them this season.
Jose Valverde, all 6-foot-4 and 280 pounds of him, joined the Tigers as their closer after a $14 million, two-year contract was finalized on Tuesday.
The agreement, which was reached last week pending a physical, includes a $9 million option for 2012.
Valverde had 25 saves in 29 chances for the Houston Astros last year, when he struck out 56 in 54 innings and limited opponents to a .207 batting average. The 30-year-old righty was 4-2 with a 2.33 ERA last season after leading the NL in saves with Arizona in 2007 and Houston in 2008.
"We think Jose is one of the premier closers in the game," Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski said. "He addresses to us what was our biggest need on our ballclub and gives us a chance, we think, to have a very solid pitching staff."
Detroit also agreed to one-year contracts with catcher Gerald Laird ($3.95 million), left-hander Bobby Seay ($2,475,000) and righty Zach Miner ($950,000).
The moves mean the Tigers have only one player still in arbitration, ace pitcher Justin Verlander. When the sides exchanged figures Tuesday, Verlander asked for $9.5 million and the club offered $6.9 million.
"We’re hopeful to keep Justin a part of our organization for a long time and we remain hopeful of being able to do that," Dombrowski said.
The addition of Valverde gives Detroit the closer it needed after choosing not to re-sign Fernando Rodney or Brandon Lyon.
Rodney received an $11 million, two-year contract from the Los Angeles Angels and Lyon signed with Houston for $15 million over three seasons.
Valverde said he has friends on the Tigers, including first baseman Miguel Cabrera and right fielder Magglio Ordonez, and is looking forward to joining the team.
"I’m so excited right now," said Valverde, who is 19-19 with a 3.17 ERA and 167 saves in seven major league seasons — five with the Diamondbacks and two with Houston. He was an All-Star in 2007 and finished sixth in NL Cy Young Award voting.
Another of his friends is Rodney, and Valverde said his pal praised the Tigers during their conversations.
"He told me, ‘There’s a good energy over there. You’d be happy over there because everybody — the GM, the fans, the manager — everybody’s good over there,"’ Valverde said.
Valverde grew up in the town of El Seibo, Dominican Republic, where he lived with his parents and two younger brothers on a family farm. As a teenager, he was talked into taking up baseball by his uncle, former major league pitcher Jose Mercedes.
Valverde is known both for his imposing size — he’s called "Papa Grande" or "Big Papa" — as well as his theatricality on the mound. He thrusts out his arms and legs and gyrates his body in celebration after saves and some strikeouts.
Valverde brushed off a question Tuesday from a reporter who asked whether he was concerned about pitching at Comerica Park in April and May when temperatures can be chilly.
"I pitched in Arizona, and it was 120 (degrees) over there," he said. "When you’re on the mound, you have to forget about everything. You have to concentrate on the hitter."
He’s said he’s not concerned about the switch from the NL to the AL.
"I don’t care. It’s the same baseball," Valverde said.
He said he agreed to sign with the Tigers because they provide him with a chance to win.
"I don’t want to lose every year. I played for Arizona. I played for Houston," he said. "This is a time for winning. I want to go to the World Series, and I want to have a ring on my finger."
Laird batted .225 with four home runs and 33 RBIs in a career-high 135 games with Detroit in 2009. His .997 fielding percentage was tops among AL catchers, and he led the league by throwing out 40.4 percent of runners attempting to steal.
Seay went 6-3 with a 4.25 ERA in 67 appearances last season. Miner was 7-5 with a 4.29 ERA in a career-high 51 games.
Detroit also announced Tuesday that it received cash from San Diego to complete the Dec. 21 trade that sent catcher Dusty Ryan to the Padres. Ryan appeared in 12 games for the Tigers last year, going 4 for 26 (.154) with four RBIs.
-- Mike Householder
AP source: Hernandez, M’s closing in on $78M deal
SEATTLE — Felix Hernandez and the Seattle Mariners are closing in on a five-year contract worth about $78 million, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the deal was not yet finished.
The agreement would avoid arbitration and prevent Hernandez from becoming a free agent after the 2011 season. He is due in Seattle on Thursday for a physical needed to finalize the contract, a second person familiar with the talks said, also on condition of anonymity because the deal hadn’t been completed.
Seattle and representatives for the 23-year-old right-hander exchange proposed arbitration figures Tuesday, with Hernandez asking for $11.5 million and the Mariners offering $7.2 million.
ESPN.com had reported late Monday night that an agreement of unknown length had been reached.
Seattle also agreed to a $2.75 million, one-year contract with closer David Aardsma and a $1.15 million, one-year deal with setup reliever Mark Lowe, avoiding salary arbitration with each.
Hernandez’s agents started talks with the Mariners soon after the pitcher finished second in voting for last year’s AL Cy Young Award. Hernandez was 19-5 last season, tied for the most wins in the major leagues, made his first All-Star team and had a career-high 217 strikeouts with a career-low 2.49 ERA.
Hernandez went 15-2 with a 1.98 ERA after Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu called him out for not stepping up during a sloppy loss to the Angels on May 19.
Surging Seattle has made several major moves in an effort to return to the postseason for the first time since 2001: acquiring former Cy Young winner Cliff Lee from Philadelphia, signing All-Star third baseman Chone Figgins, trading for outfielder and designated hitter Milton Bradley and re-signing Ken Griffey Jr.
A long-term agreement with Hernandez was the Mariners’ top priority. Hernandez and Lee, signed through 2010, give Seattle one of baseball’s best pairs atop a rotation.
A five-year deal would leave Hernandez just 28 when he would be eligible for free agency.
The native of Valencia, Venezuela, dubbed "King Felix" soon after he arrived in the major leagues, is 58-41 in 4½ seasons. He has averaged 14 wins and 183 strikeouts in his four full seasons in the big leagues.
Aardsma, 28, seized his first closer job in the major leagues after the 2009 season began. He had the first 38 saves of his big league career, in 42 opportunities, with a 2.52 ERA, after arriving from Boston last January in an overlooked trade for a minor leaguer. He ranked third among American League closers in saves.
The 26-year-old Lowe set career-highs in appearances (75), innings (80) and strikeouts (69) while solidifying his role as Aardsma’s primary setup man in 2009. Lowe ranked third in appearances among AL relievers.
"It was an important process to get to this point and avoid any distraction as we prepare for the upcoming season," Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik said.
-- Gregg Bell
Twins do deals with all 8 players in arbitration
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Twins have agreed to contracts with all eight of their players in arbitration, including pitcher Carl Pavano, shortstop J.J. Hardy and outfielder Delmon Young.
The deals were done Tuesday, when proposed salaries for 2010 were to be swapped between teams and the agents of players up for arbitration. The only one of the eight who got a multiyear contract was infielder Brendan Harris, who was eligible for arbitration for the first time. Harris agreed to a two-year, $3.2 million deal, with $1.45 million this season and $1.75 million in 2011.
Right-handed relievers Jesse Crain ($2 million), Matt Guerrier ($3.15 million) and Pat Neshek ($625,000) and left-hander Francisco Liriano ($1.6 million) also got one-year contracts.
The Twins have now guaranteed more than $84 million for 18 players this season, already a team record.
Most of the rest of the roster will likely receive contracts for or close to the major league minimum, but signing another free agent could push the payroll past $90 million. The Twins also must figure out a way to keep the league MVP, catcher Joe Mauer, past this season with free agency approaching for him next fall. This year’s payroll, however, wouldn’t be affected by a contract extension for Mauer, who will make $12.5 million this season.
Pavano was a free agent, but he accepted the team’s arbitration offer last month. The right-hander will make $7 million and return to the rotation, after going 5-4 with a 4.64 ERA in 12 starts for the Twins.
Young will more than double his salary to make $2.6 million, with $50,000 available in performance bonuses. He will be the regular left fielder, following the offseason trade of Carlos Gomez. Young has not played up to the potential the Twins saw when they traded for him two years ago, but he finished on a strong note last fall and hit .284 with 12 homers.
Hardy, who came from Milwaukee in the deal for Gomez, will make $5.1 million as the new starting shortstop.
Harris can play second base, shortstop and third base, but his role for this season is unclear with Hardy’s arrival. Nick Punto will likely be a regular at second or third, with the possibility remaining of adding another player for one of those spots as well.
Guerrier also doubled his salary after going 5-1 with a 2.36 ERA in 79 appearances.
The side-armer Neshek hasn’t pitched since May 2008, after hurting his elbow and later needing Tommy John ligament replacement surgery that kept him out all of last season.
Liriano was also eligible for arbitration for the first time, after going 5-13 with a 5.80 ERA in 136-plus innings. He has yet to regain the form and the confidence he showed during an All-Star rookie season in 2006. He’ll be in a crowded competition for the last spot in the rotation, behind Pavano, Scott Baker, Nick Blackburn and Kevin Slowey.
-- Dave Campbell
Blue Jays settle with all 5 players in arbitration
TORONTO — The Blue Jays have avoided salary arbitration with all five of their eligible players and have added a pair of free agents to their spring training roster.
The Blue Jays settled Tuesday with five pitchers by agreeing to one-year deals with Jason Frasor ($2.65 million), Brian Tallet ($2 million), Jeremy Accardo ($1.08 million), Shawn Camp ($1.15 million) and Casey Janssen ($700,000).
Toronto also agreed to minor league contracts with outfielder Jeremy Reed and right-hander Steven Register.
Reed hit .242 with no homers and nine RBIs in 161 at-bats for the New York Mets last year. Register split the season between the Colorado and Philadelphia systems and made just one big league appearance, allowing one run in two innings for the Phillies on July 25 against St. Louis. He was 2-5 with a 3.92 ERA in 50 games at Triple-A.
New general manager Alex Anthopoulos had said he would take players to arbitration hearings if they didn’t agree before Tuesday’s deadline for exchanging figures. The Blue Jays have not been to a hearing since 1997 with Bill Risley.
The 32-year-old Frasor was 7-3 with a 2.50 ERA and 11 saves in 14 chances last season, taking over as closer when Scott Downs injured a toe. Frasor made $1.45 million.
Tallet, also 32, was 7-9 with a 5.32 ERA in a career-high 25 starts and 12 relief appearances, and he earned $1.15 million.
Accardo, 28, had no record and a 2.55 ERA in 26 games for Toronto, making $900,000. He spent most of the season at Triple-A.
The 34-year-old Camp was 2-6 with a 3.50 ERA last year, when he made $752,500.
Janssen, 28, was 2-4 with a 5.85 ERA and one save in five starts and 16 relief appearances following his return in May from surgery to repair a torn labrum in his pitching shoulder, an injury that caused him to miss the 2008 season. Janssen, who earned $413,900 last year, is expected to pitch out of the bullpen this season.
Jered Weaver, 3 others agree to deals with Angels
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Right-hander Jered Weaver and catcher Mike Napoli were among four players who agreed to one-year contracts with the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday, avoiding salary arbitration.
Second baseman Howie Kendrick and outfielder Reggie Willits also reached deals with the Angels, who will give hefty raises to several key contributors to last season’s run to the AL West title and the league championship series.
Weaver will make $4,265,000, up from $465,000 last year. He went 16-8 with a 3.75 ERA and 174 strikeouts in 2009, and will be even more important to the Angels after John Lackey’s free-agent departure to Boston.
Napoli will make $3.6 million after earning $2 million last year, and will make $50,000 each for appearing in 110 and 120 games.
Kendrick will get a raise to $1.75 million from $465,000. Willits, a seldom-used reserve last season, gets $625,000 after making $450,000 last year, with $25,000 bonuses for 200 and 250 plate appearances.
The Angels still have four players in arbitration: left-hander Joe Saunders, catcher Jeff Mathis and infielders Maicer Izturis and Erick Aybar.
Saunders, who made $475,000 last year while going 16-7 and making an outstanding late-season surge, asked for $3.85 million. The Angels offered $3.6 million, suggesting an agreement won’t be difficult.
Aybar is the Angels’ starting shortstop and Chone Figgins’ probable successor as leadoff man. He’s seeking a $2.75 million deal after making $460,000 last year, while Los Angeles countered with a $1.8 million offer.
Izturis, who will compete for playing time at second base and third, is seeking a raise to $3 million after making $1.6 million last year.
Papelbon, Ramirez, Delcarmen agree with Red Sox
BOSTON — The Red Sox and closer Jonathan Papelbon agreed Tuesday to a $9.35 million, one-year contract, the highest salary for a reliever with four years of major league service.
Boston also agreed to one-year deals with relievers Ramon Ramirez ($1,155,000) and Manny Delcarmen ($905,000), leaving outfielder Jeremy Hermida as the lone Red Sox player remaining in arbitration.
Papelbon’s salary surpassed Mariano Rivera’s $7.25 million contract for relievers with four years of service time. Papelbon would earn an extra $50,000 if he finishes 60 games.
He also avoided arbitration last year by agreeing to a $6.25 million base salary, and earned an extra $50,000 for making the AL All-Star team. His new agreement was reached after agents Sam and Seth Levinson asked for $10.25 million in arbitration and the club offered $8.45 million.
Papelbon had a 1.85 ERA with 38 saves in 41 opportunities and a 1-1 record last season but struggled more than in previous seasons. In the final game of the Los Angeles Angels’ three-game playoff sweep, Papelbon allowed three runs in the ninth inning and the Red Sox lost 7-6. Until then, he had thrown a record 26 scoreless innings to start his postseason career.
Since becoming Boston’s closer in 2006, Papelbon has a 1.74 ERA with 151 saves in 168 opportunities and an 11-10 record. In his career, which began in 2005 with 14 relief appearances and three starts, he has 346 strikeouts and 77 walks in 298 innings. But last season he issued 24 walks after allowing just eight in 2008.
Ramirez was 7-4 with a 2.84 ERA in 70 relief appearances last year, and Delcarmen was 5-2 with a 4.53 ERA in 64 appearances. Delcarmen would earn a $15,000 bonus if he pitches in 65 games.
-- Howard Ulman
Royals reach 1-year deals with Gordon, Tejeda
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Third baseman Alex Gordon and right-hander Robinson Tejeda bypassed arbitration, agreeing Tuesday to one-year contracts with the Kansas City Royals.
Gordon gets $1.15 million after making $457,000 last season.
He was the second pick in the 2005 amateur draft and was once thought of as the cornerstone of the team’s future. But his career has been slow to develop and he missed 79 games last year after undergoing hip surgery. He wound up batting .232 with six home runs and 22 RBIs in 49 games.
Tejeda got a raise from $437,000 to $950,000. He can earn another $50,000 in performance bonuses: $25,000 each for reaching 23 and starts.
Pitching out of the bullpen most of the year, Tejeda was 4-2 with a 3.54 ERA in 35 games last season.
In six starts in September, he was 3-1 with a 2.84 ERA and averaged almost 11 strikeouts per nine innings. He will get an opportunity in spring training to work his way into the rotation.
The Royals do not have any players remaining in arbitration.
In addition, the team agreed to one-year major league contracts with four minor leaguers: right-hander Henry Barrera; outfielders Jarrod Dyson and Jordan Parraz; and infielder Mario Lisson.
The Royals also requested unconditional release waivers on infielder Luis Hernandez.
Rays agree to 1-year contracts with 3 players
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays have agreed to one-year contracts with All-Star shortstop Jason Bartlett, right-hander Matt Garza and left-handed reliever J.P. Howell.
The team was unable to reach an agreement Tuesday with center fielder B.J. Upton, who is expected to go to an arbitration hearing in February even though the sides aren’t far apart. The Rays have a policy of not negotiating once salary figures are exchanged.
Upton asked for $3.3 million, and the team offered $3 million.
Bartlett gets a $4 million deal. He earned $1.98 million last season while batting .320 with 14 homers, 66 RBIs and 30 steals.
Garza will make $3.35 million after earning $433,300 in 2009. He and the Rays exchanged figures Tuesday, with both sides proposing the salary they settled on.
Garza was 8-12 with a 3.95 ERA in 32 starts last season.
Howell’s salary jumps from $433,700 to $1.8 million. He was 7-5 with a 2.84 ERA and 17 saves in 69 appearances last year.
Kouzmanoff, Davis agree to deals with A’s
OAKLAND, Calif. — Third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff and outfielder Rajai Davis agreed to one-year deals with the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday and avoided salary arbitration.
Kouzmanoff will make $3.1 million this season and Davis will get $1.35 million.
Right-hander Michael Wuertz is the only A’s player remaining eligible for arbitration.
Kouzmanoff was acquired in a trade over the weekend from San Diego. He hit .255 with 18 homers and a career-high 88 RBIs last season with the Padres.
Davis became the starting center fielder in Oakland last season, hitting .305 and stealing 41 bases. He is expected to play left field this season following the signing of Coco Crisp.
Davis can earn an additional $150,000 in performance bonuses: $25,000 each for 435, 450, 500 and 550 plate appearances, and an additional $50,000 for 600 plate appearances.
Indians, Perez avoid arbitration
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Indians kept their arbitration streak intact by coming to terms with reliever Rafael Perez on a $795,000 deal.
The club was scheduled to exchange salary figures Tuesday with Perez, the only player on Cleveland’s roster eligible for arbitration. The Indians have not gone to arbitration since 1991.
Perez, who can earn another $25,000 with an All-Star appearance, was a major disappointment last season. The left-hander went 4-3 with a 7.31 ERA in 48 innings with Cleveland and was twice sent down to the minor leagues.
The Indians are counting on him to regain the form that made him one of the AL’s premier setup men. In 2008, he was Cleveland’s most reliable reliever and in 2007 he had a 1.78 ERA in 44 appearances.
White Sox agree with Danks at $3.45 million
CHICAGO — The Chicago White Sox have agreed to a $3.45 million, one-year contract with left-hander John Danks, their final player in arbitration.
The 24-year-old Danks was 13-11 with a 3.77 ERA in 32 starts last season while pitching a career-high 200 1-3 innings.
Danks was 12-9 in 2008 and 6-13 in 2007, the first season after the White Sox acquired him from Texas. He has a 31-33 major league record with a 4.06 ERA.
He is expected to be a key member of the 2010 rotation that also will include Jake Peavy, Mark Buehrle and Gavin Floyd.
Chicago settled earlier with closer Bobby Jenks ($7.5 million), outfielder Carlos Quentin ($3.25 million) and reliever Tony Pena ($1.2 million).
Orioles, Scott agree to $4.5 million, 1-year deal
BALTIMORE — Outfielder Luke Scott and the Baltimore Orioles have agreed to a $4.05 million, one-year contract, avoiding arbitration.
The 31-year-old Scott played in 128 games last year, hitting .258 and setting career highs with 25 homers and 77 RBIs. He made $2.4 million.
Obtained in a December 2007 trade with the Houston Astros, Scott has a career .264 batting average, 76 home runs and 247 RBIs. Over two years with Baltimore, he has hit 76 homers and driven in 142 runs.
National League
Lincecum seeks record $13 million in arbitration
SAN FRANCISCO — Two-time NL Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum asked for a record $13 million in salary arbitration on Tuesday, while the San Francisco Giants offered their ace $8 million.
Lincecum is seeking the richest contract ever awarded in arbitration, surpassing the $10 million that Alfonso Soriano (2006) and Francisco Rodriguez (2008) got after losing cases and Ryan Howard got after winning his in 2008.
If Lincecum and the Giants don’t settle, an arbitration panel will hold a hearing next month and pick one of the salaries.
Lincecum’s case is an interesting test because few players have entered salary arbitration with credentials similar to his. Called up early in the 2007 season, the right-hander has a 40-17 record with a 2.90 ERA.
He won the Cy Young in his first two full seasons, becoming the first repeat winner since Randy Johnson from 1999-2002. Lincecum was a bargain for the Giants last year, when he made $650,000.
He had no negotiating leverage then, but is guaranteed to increase his salary by more than twelvefold even if he loses his case because he is eligible for arbitration as a so-called "Super 2" — a player in the top 17 percent of service time between two and three seasons.
Lincecum’s case could be most similar to Howard, whose $10 million request in 2008 had been the highest ever for a player in his first year eligible for arbitration. Howard won the NL MVP in 2006 when he led the league with 58 home runs and followed that with 47 homers in 2007. The Phillies offered $7 million.
Lincecum, nicknamed "The Freak" for his giant stride and slender body, has been the NL’s most dominant pitcher almost from his arrival. He has a 33-12 record with a 2.55 ERA the past two seasons, leading the league in strikeouts both years. He has 526 strikeouts during that span, averaging 10.5 per nine innings.
Lincecum also leads the majors in ERA, batting average against (.214), winning percentage (.733) and strikeouts over the past two seasons.
Earlier on Tuesday, Lincecum agreed to pay $513 to resolve marijuana charges against him in Washington state.
He originally faced two misdemeanor charges of marijuana and drug paraphernalia possession stemming from a traffic stop on Oct. 30. The charges were reduced to a civil infraction.
Lincecum appeared in Clark County District Court before Judge Darvin Zimmerman on Tuesday morning. Giants managing partner Bill Neukom was in court in a sign of support for Lincecum.
He paid a speeding ticket separately.
-- Josh Dubow
AP source: Giants, Molina agree to 1-year deal
SAN FRANCISCO — In an unexpected twist, Bengie Molina is coming back to the San Francisco Giants.
The free-agent catcher reached a preliminary agreement with the Giants on a $4.5 million, one-year contract, two people with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press on Tuesday. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement was pending a physical and had not been completed.
The 35-year-old Molina can earn an additional $1.5 million in performance bonuses based on games started. KPIX TV in San Francisco first reported Molina’s deal.
It’s a surprising move for both sides, because Molina had been negotiating a deal only days ago with the New York Mets, who offered $5.5 million in guaranteed money as part of a proposal that included a vesting option for 2011. But if Molina stays healthy, he would earn $500,000 more from the Giants this year than under the Mets’ proposal.
Molina had originally hoped to land a three-year contract this offseason, and Giants general manager Brian Sabean had said the veteran backstop wouldn’t return.
"That ship has sailed," Sabean said at the winter meetings last month.
The Giants also agreed Tuesday to a $2.1 million contract with left-hander Jonathan Sanchez, avoiding arbitration. Sanchez threw a no-hitter on July 10.
San Francisco has two players in salary arbitration. Ace pitcher Tim Lincecum asked for a record $13 million after winning the past two NL Cy Young Awards, while the Giants countered at $8 million. San Francisco closer Brian Wilson asked for $4,875,000, and the team submitted a $4 million offer.
While Molina appeared set to join the Mets, the Giants came back into the picture only recently.
Molina said late last season that he preferred to stay in San Francisco if shown he was wanted. Right away, Sabean ruled out giving Molina more than a one-year deal with Buster Posey set to be the club’s catcher of the future.
Molina batted .265 with a career-high 20 home runs to go with 80 RBIs last season as the cleanup hitter in his third year with the Giants and 12th in the big leagues.
Molina’s previous $16 million, three-year contract ended after last season and he became a free agent. He also said he would like to retire as a Giant.
San Francisco was never prepared to make such a commitment considering Molina’s age and health concerns. The Giants were ready to move forward with Posey, the fifth overall pick in the 2008 draft, if no other opportunity emerged. Yet Sabean had said this winter he didn’t think Posey was ready to be a full-time major league catcher and would prefer he start the season with Triple-A Fresno to gain more experience.
Posey hit .325 with 18 homers and 80 RBIs in the minors last season and played seven games with San Francisco in September.
-- Janie McCauley
AP sources: Street, Betancourt agree with Rockies
DENVER — The Colorado Rockies reached preliminary agreements on multiyear contracts with relievers Huston Street and Rafael Betancourt on Tuesday, according to people familiar with the negotiations.
Street will get $22.5 million over three years and Betancourt $7.55 million over two seasons, the people said, speaking separately. They spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the agreements were not yet final.
Foxsports.com first reported the deal with Street, and The Denver Post reported the Betancourt deal.
Colorado also agreed to a $3.25 million, two-year deal with outfielder Ryan Spilborghs and a $1.9 million, one-year contract with pitcher Jason Hammel.
All four were eligible for salary arbitration.
Street solidified the Rockies’ bullpen last season by saving 35 games in 37 chances. He stumbled against Philadelphia in the playoffs, though, taking a pair of losses.
The right-hander missed the final month of the regular season with soreness in his biceps tendon, but said that played no role in his postseason failures.
Betancourt became a key setup man for the Rockies after he was acquired in a deal with Cleveland on July 23. He went 3-1 with a 1.78 ERA in 32 appearances for Colorado, helping the team earn the NL wild card. He allowed one run in 2 1-3 innings against the Phillies in the postseason.
Hammel was picked up from Tampa Bay in a trade last April for a minor league pitcher and finished 10-8 with a 4.33 ERA. The 27-year-old righty was one of five Colorado starters to win at least 10 games in 2009.
Spilborghs appeared in 133 games last season, playing all three outfield spots. He hit .241 with 24 doubles and eight homers, including the first game-ending grand slam in team history that capped a 14-inning affair against San Francisco on Aug. 24.
Spilborghs will make $1.3 million in 2010 and $1.95 million in 2011.
The Rockies agreed to deals last week with starting pitcher Jorge De La Rosa, second baseman Clint Barmes and reliever Taylor Buchholz.
-- Pat Graham
Ludwick, Cardinals agree to $5.45M, 1-year deal
ST. LOUIS — Outfielder Ryan Ludwick and the St. Louis Cardinals have avoided arbitration for the second straight season, agreeing Tuesday to a $5.45 million, one-year contract.
The 31-year-old Ludwick hit .265 with 22 homers and 97 RBIs last season for the NL Central champions. He agreed to a $3.7 million one-year deal last February after becoming an All-Star for the first time in 2008.
"We are pleased to have reached an agreement with Ryan," general manager John Mozeliak said. "Ryan has proven to be a steady run-producer for our ballclub for the past two-plus seasons."
Ludwick is likely to bat fifth again. He said at the team’s Winter Warmup that he was looking forward to following Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday in the lineup.
"Albert and then Matt, on-base percentage-wise, those guys are on base a lot," Ludwick said. "So whoever is hitting in the five and six slot is going to be pretty excited.
"I’m fired up, I’m really excited to get down to Jupiter (for spring training)."
Second baseman Skip Schumaker, who is arbitration eligible for the first time, asked for $2.75 million while the Cardinals offered $1.45 million. He made a successful conversion from the outfield to second base last season and also batted .303.
"I think I was OK," Schumaker said. "You can take a million ground balls but the game situations is what shows how good you are. The more games I play, the better I’ll be, and I can obviously be better."
Schumaker, who made $430,000 last season, said Sunday he and the team were close on a contract.
Ludwick batted .323 with runners in scoring position with 27 two-out RBIs, one behind Pujols’ team-leading total, and had nine outfield assists with only one error.
-- R.B. Fallstrom
Mets agree to 1-year deals with 3 players
NEW YORK — Jeff Francoeur and the New York Mets agreed to a $5 million, one-year contract, making him one of three players who settled with the team Tuesday before going to salary arbitration.
Relief pitchers Pedro Feliciano ($2.9 million) and Sean Green ($975,000) also agreed to one-year deals.
The only New York player remaining in arbitration is outfielder Angel Pagan. He asked for $1.8 million and the team offered $1,275,000 when figures were exchanged Tuesday.
Francoeur gets a raise of $1,625,000. The right fielder hit .311 with 10 homers, 41 RBIs and 20 doubles in 75 games with the Mets last season. He was acquired from Atlanta on July 10 for outfielder Ryan Church and batted .280 overall with 15 homers and 76 RBIs.
Francoeur had surgery on his left thumb in early November and is expected to be ready for spring training.
He is eligible for free agency after the 2011 season.
Feliciano, a top left-handed specialist, led the majors with 88 appearances last year, when he made $1,625,000. He was 6-4 with a 3.03 ERA.
Green went 1-4 with a 4.52 ERA and one save in his first season with the Mets. He set a career high with 79 appearances and earned $471,000.
Feliciano can make another $100,000 in performance bonuses: $25,000 for 60 games; $50,000 for 60 innings pitched; and $25,000 for 65 innings.
Green can earn an additional $12,500 each for 65 and 70 games.
Stephen Drew, Diamondbacks agree to $3.4M deal
PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks and shortstop Stephen Drew avoided arbitration by agreeing Tuesday to a $3.4 million, one-year contract.
Drew was coming off a five-year contract he agreed to after being selected by the Diamondbacks as the 15th pick in the 2004 amateur draft. That deal called for a $4 million signing bonus and annual salaries of $700,000 in the majors and $300,000 in the minors.
Drew, younger brother of Boston’s J.D. Drew, has been in the majors since midway through 2006, his second professional season. He hit a career-best .298 with 44 doubles and 21 homers in 2008 but dipped to .261 with 29 doubles and 12 homers last season, although he did have a career-high 12 triples.
The agreement leaves pitcher Edwin Jackson as Arizona’s only player remaining in arbitration. The right-hander, an All-Star for Detroit last season, was acquired as part of a three-team trade involving the Tigers and New York Yankees.
Jackson asked for $6.25 million and Arizona countered at $4.6 million when the sides exchanged figures Tuesday.
Earlier, the Diamondbacks reached agreements with their other four players in arbitration: outfielder Conor Jackson, catcher Miguel Montero, and relievers Chad Qualls and Aaron Heilman.
Martin, Sherrill, Loney, Kuo agree with Dodgers
LOS ANGELES — First baseman James Loney, catcher Russell Martin and relievers George Sherrill and Hong-Chih Kuo have agreed to one-year contracts with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
All four players were eligible for salary arbitration. Martin’s contract is for $5.05 million, Loney will make $3.1 million, Sherrill gets $4.5 million and Kuo will earn $950,000.
Loney made $465,000 last year and batted .281 with 13 homers and 90 RBIs.
Sherrill made $2.75 million last season. The former All-Star was traded from Baltimore to the Dodgers on July 30. He can make an additional $75,000 for pitching in 60 games in 2010 and another $75,000 for 70 appearances.
Kuo went 0-2 with a 3.00 ERA last season, making $437,000. His deal includes an additional $25,000 for appearing in 55 and 60 games, with $50,000 payments if Kuo pitches in 65 and 70 games.
Martin, a two-time All-Star, dipped to .250 with seven homers and 53 RBIs last season. His deal provides an extra $50,000 each for reaching 550 and 600 plate appearances.
Outfielder Andre Ethier and closer Jonathan Broxton are the only Dodgers left in arbitration. The Dodgers also signed catcher J.D. Closser to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training.
Cubs agree to deals with 5 players
CHICAGO — The Cubs agreed Tuesday to one-year contracts that avoided salary arbitration with five of their eight eligible players.
Settling were infielders Jeff Baker ($975,000) and Mike Fontenot ($1 million), catcher Koyie Hill ($700,000), right-hander Angel Guzman ($825,000) and left-hander Tom Gorzelanny ($800,000).
Baker batted .305 with four homers and 21 RBI in 69 games with the Cubs last season following his July 2 acquisition from the Colorado Rockies.
Fontenot hit .236 with nine homers and 43 RBI in 135 games with Chicago in 2009.
Hill batted .237 with two homers and 24 RBIs 83 games in his first full major league season. As a backup who filled in when Geovany Soto was injured or struggled, Hill threw out 20 of 50 runners and the Cubs were 42-27 in games he started.
Guzman went 3-3 with a 2.95 ERA in 55 relief appearances for the Cubs last season.
Gorzelanny, who could be in the rotation this season, was 7-3 with a 5.55 ERA in 22 appearances, including seven starts, with Pittsburgh and Chicago last season. He was acquired by the Cubs from the Pirates along with lefty reliever John Grabow on July 30.
Pitchers Carlos Marmol and Sean Marshall, and shortstop Ryan Theriot remain eligible for arbitration.
Nationals, OF Willingham agree at $4.6M for 2010
WASHINGTON — Outfielder Josh Willingham agreed to a $4.6 million contract for 2010 with the Washington Nationals, who also avoided arbitration with three other players.
Catchers Jesus Flores and Wil Nieves and right-hander Jason Bergmann agreed to one-year deals with Washington on Tuesday, the day players and teams submitted figures for arbitration.
Flores and Bergmann got salaries of $750,000 for next season, while Nieves agreed to a $700,000 deal. Their 2009 salaries ranged from $415,500 to $445,000 in 2009.
Flores, expected to split time at catcher with free-agent signee Ivan Rodriguez, can earn bonuses of $10,000 for 70 games played, $15,000 for 80, and $25,000 for 90. Flores hit .301 in only 93 at-bats in 2009, when he missed time after being hit by a foul ball, then needed shoulder surgery.
Willingham hit .260 with 24 homers and 61 RBIs in 427 at-bats last season, his first after being traded to Washington by the Florida Marlins. He earned $2.95 million after agreeing to a contract right before an arbitration hearing.
Tuesday’s deals leave the Nationals with two arbitration-eligible players: relievers Brian Bruney and Sean Burnett.
Bruney, acquired in an offseason trade with the New York Yankees, asked for $1.85 million in arbitration, while the Nationals offered $1.5 million. He made $1.25 million last season.
Burnett asked for a raise from $408,000 to $925,000. The Nationals offered $775,000.
Pirates’ Duke signs, Jones claimed on waivers
PITTSBURGH — Pirates left-handed starter Zach Duke avoided a possible arbitration hearing by agreeing to a $4.3 million, one-year contract.
Tuesday was the deadline for teams and players to exchange salary arbitration figures.
The 26-year-old Duke gets a $1 million raise from last season, when he was 11-16 with a 4.06 ERA in 32 starts while allowing 231 hits in 213 innings. He also was chosen for the All-Star game.
Duke had been the Pirates’ only remaining arbitration-eligible player.
The Pirates also claimed outfielder Brandon Jones off waivers from the Atlanta Braves and added him to their 40-man roster.
The left-handed hitting Jones spent most of last season at Triple-A Gwinnett, hitting .281 with 28 doubles, seven home runs and 57 RBIs in 107 games. He played in 51 games with Atlanta the last three seasons — 41 games in 2008 — and had a .257 average.
The Braves took Jones off their 40-man roster last week to make room for outfielder Eric Hinske, who began last season with Pittsburgh.
Cantu, Nunez sign 1-year deals with Marlins
MIAMI — Infielder Jorge Cantu and reliever Leo Nunez agreed to one-year contracts with the Florida Marlins on Tuesday, avoiding arbitration.
Cantu, who made $3.5 million last year, agreed to a $6 million deal. Nunez, who made $412,500 in 2008, will receive a raise to $2 million.
Outfielder Cody Ross will go to arbitration. He wants $4.45 million, and the Marlins offered $4.2 million. Last year Ross made $2.3 million.
Cantu hit .289 with 16 home runs and 100 RBIs last year while dividing his time between first and third base.
Nunez had 26 saves in 33 chances for the Florida in 2009, his first year as a closer. He went 4-6 with a 4.06 ERA in 68 2-3 innings, and his seven blown saves tied for second-highest in the National League.
Weeks, Gomez agree to 1-year deals with Brewers
MILWAUKEE — Rickie Weeks and Carlos Gomez have agreed to one-year contracts with the Milwaukee Brewers that avoided salary arbitration.
Weeks will make $2.75 million, up from $2.45 million last year. He hit .272 with nine homers and 24 RBIs in 37 games before tearing a tendon in his left wrist on May 17, an injury that required season-ending surgery.
Gomez agreed at $1.1 million, up from $437,500 last year, and can earn an additional $100,000 in performance bonuses. He is expected to be the starting center fielder after he was acquired from Minnesota during the offseason for popular shortstop J.J. Hardy.
Gomez hit .229 with three homers and 28 RBIs in 137 games. He was arbitration eligible for the first time.
Braves agree to $1.15 million deal with RHP Moylan
ATLANTA — Relief pitcher Peter Moylan has agreed to a $1.15 million, one-year contract with the Atlanta Braves, the last of their arbitration-eligible players.
Moylan made $410,000 last season while setting a franchise record with 87 appearances and a major league mark for most games without allowing a home run. The side-arming right-hander, a native of Australia, went 6-2 with a 2.84 ERA as the main setup reliever after missing most of the previous season recovering from elbow surgery.
Moylan is expected to fill much the same role in a bullpen that now features Billy Wagner and Takashi Saito.
Durbin and Phillies agree at $2,125,000
PHILADELPHIA — Reliever Chad Durbin has agreed to a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies worth $2,125,000, a deal that avoided salary arbitration.
The 32-year-old right-hander appeared in 59 games last season for the NL champions, going 2-2 with two saves and a 4.39 ERA. He made $1,635,000.
Three Phillies remain in arbitration: center fielder Shane Victorino, catcher Carlos Ruiz and right-hander Joe Blanton.
Elsewhere
Doc & Darryl to be inducted into Mets Hall of Fame
NEW YORK — Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry will be inducted into the New York Mets Hall of Fame this summer, highlighting a class that features four key members of the 1986 World Series champions.
Popular manager Davey Johnson and general manager Frank Cashen also will be inducted on Aug. 1 before the Mets host the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citi Field.
They are the first new members of the team’s Hall of Fame since Tommie Agee was chosen in 2002.
Gooden’s dominant pitching and Strawberry’s power hitting helped lead the Mets to their second World Series title in 1986, and another NL East crown in ‘88.
Johnson managed the Mets from 1984-90 and compiled the best winning percentage (.588) of any manager in franchise history.
-- Mike Fitzpatrick
