Red Sox Avoid Arbitration With Jacoby Ellsbury
The Red Sox avoided arbitration with center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury on a deal worth $8.05MM, tweets MLBTR's Ben-Nicholson-Smith. MLBTR projected a $7.9MM salary for Ellsbury, who finished second in the AL MVP voting. The Red Sox still have multiple arbitration cases to settle.
Some say Ellsbury's salary is a record for a second-time arbitration eligible player, but Miguel Cabrera received $11.3MM in 2007 a few months before agreeing to a multiyear deal (in which his '07 salary remained unchanged).
Rays Avoid Arbitration With Price, Upton
The Rays avoided arbitration with starter David Price on a deal worth $4.35MM, tweets MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith. Price's salary matches Dontrelle Willis' first-time pitcher record set six years ago. I thought he'd do better. It seems the "raise argument" did not apply on top of Price's $1.25MM 2011 salary, which represented the last year of a Major League deal he signed upon being drafted.
The team also avoided arbitration with B.J. Upton, tweets Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times. Upton gets $7MM plus some small plate appearance bonuses, tweets Topkin. MLBTR projected the Reynolds Sports Management client at $7.6MM.
The Rays appear headed for an arbitration hearing with pitcher Jeff Niemann.
Indians Avoid Arbitration With Shin-Soo Choo
The Indians avoided arbitration with outfielder Shin-Soo Choo on a deal worth $4.9MM, tweets MLBTR's Ben-Nicholson-Smith. MLBTR had projected the Boras client for $4.3MM.
Twins Avoid Arbitration With Francisco Liriano
The Twins avoided arbitration with starter Francisco Liriano, signing the Legacy Sports client to a $5.5MM deal, tweets ESPN's Enrique Rojas. It was a rough year for Liriano, limiting his raise to $1.2MM. He'll be a free agent after 2012.
The Twins' arbitration agenda will be complete if they sign infielder Alexi Casilla.
Rangers Avoid Arbitration With Mike Adams
The Rangers avoided arbitration with reliever Mike Adams, by signing him to a $4.4MM deal, tweets Anthony Andro of FOX Sports Southwest. Matt Swartz had projected the SFX client for $4.5MM.
The Rangers' arbitration agenda still includes Elvis Andrus, Nelson Cruz, Matt Harrison, and Mike Napoli.
Brewers Avoid Arbitration With Francisco Rodriguez
The Brewers announced they've avoided arbitration with reliever Francisco Rodriguez, signing the Scott Boras client to a one-year deal. Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports the value at $8MM, well below my expectation after he earned $11.5MM in 2011. K-Rod had accepted the team's arbitration offer rather than continue as a free agent.
Braves Avoid Arbitration With Michael Bourn
The Braves avoided arbitration with center fielder Michael Bourn on a deal worth $6.845MM, tweets Danny Knobler of CBS Sports. Matt Swartz projected the Boras client for $7.3MM in his final season before free agency.
Phillies Sign Joel Pineiro
The Phillies officially signed Joel Pineiro to a minor league contract with a spring training invite today. Pineiro is represented by Wasserman Media Group.
Pineiro, 33, pitched to a 5.13 ERA with just 3.8 K/9 in 145 2/3 innings for Angels last year while battling shoulder tightness. After earning his two-year, $16MM deal from the Halos thanks to a 60.5% ground ball rate and 1.14 BB/9 with the Cardinals in 2009, those rates fell to a still solid 48.3% and 2.35 BB/9 in 2011. Pineiro will give the team some back of the rotation protection behind Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, and Cole Hamels. Vance Worley and Joe Blanton figure to round out the starting staff, though the latter was limited to just 41 1/3 innings last year due to elbow problems.
ESPN's Jayson Stark first reported the agreement on Sunday.
Mets Avoid Arbitration With Mike Pelfrey
The Mets avoided arbitration with starter Mike Pelfrey, tweets Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com, agreeing to a one-year deal worth about $5.675MM. Matt Swartz had projected the Boras client at $5.8MM.
As our arbitration tracker shows, the Mets have Manny Acosta and Andres Torres remaining.
Marlins Avoid Arbitration With Juan Carlos Oviedo
The Marlins avoided arbitration with reliever Juan Carlos Oviedo by agreeing to a $6MM deal, tweets Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post. The former Leo Nunez and former Marlins closer is represented by Wasserman Media Group. He's on the restricted list as he sorts out issues relating to his use of a false identity. Oviedo receives a $2.35MM raise for his last season before free agency.
As MLBTR's arbitration tracker shows, the Marlins still have Emilio Bonifacio, Edward Mujica, and Anibal Sanchez on the agenda.