Yesterday, the Rangers avoided arbitration with Mike Napoli, agreeing to a one-year, $9.4MM contract for 2012. The 30-year-old obtained the second-highest raise for any third or fourth-time eligible position player, trailing only Prince Fielder. Here's more on the Rangers..
- After signing Napoli, GM Jon Daniels said that the Rangers are now over budget and not likely to add any other free agents this off-season, writes Jeff Wilson of the Star-Telegram. Daniels won't shut the door on either Roy Oswalt or Mike Gonzalez but he says that it's hard to envision signing either player with their current payroll situation.
- Daniels added that there haven't been extension talks with Josh Hamilton as the outfielder is focusing on his health and family, Wilson tweets.
- Napoli settling below the midpoint of the two offers makes revisiting multi-year deal more realistic, tweets Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.
