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By STEVEN WINE, AP Sports Writer
January 17, 2005
MIAMI (AP) -- Florida Marlins right-hander A.J. Burnett agreed Monday to a $3.65 million, one-year contract rather than go to arbitration.
Relievers Guillermo Mota and Tim Spooneybarger also avoided arbitration by accepting one-year deals.
The Marlins, meanwhile, are still courting free-agent slugger Carlos Delgado. He and agent David Sloane met Saturday with owner Jeffrey Loria, and Sloane said he plans to talk with team executives again Tuesday.
Burnett returned from reconstructive elbow surgery last June and went 7-6 with a 3.68 ERA in 120 innings. His career record is 37-38.
Last year, Burnett was paid $2.5 million. His new contract allows him to make $150,000 in performance bonuses: $50,000 each for 190, 200 and 210 innings pitched.
Mota, expected to be the Marlins' closer, agreed to a $2.6 million deal that allows him to earn $275,000 in performance bonuses. He received $1,475,000 last year, when he went 9-8 with a 3.07 ERA for Los Angeles and Florida.
Spooneybarger received $350,000, a raise from $305,000 last year, and can earn $75,000 in performance bonuses. He's hoping to come back this year from reconstructive elbow surgery that forced him to miss all of last season.
The only Florida player still in arbitration is right-hander Josh Beckett. Barring an agreement, Beckett and the Marlins will exchange proposals Tuesday, and a hearing will be held in February.
January 17, 2005
MIAMI (AP) -- Florida Marlins right-hander A.J. Burnett agreed Monday to a $3.65 million, one-year contract rather than go to arbitration.
Relievers Guillermo Mota and Tim Spooneybarger also avoided arbitration by accepting one-year deals.
The Marlins, meanwhile, are still courting free-agent slugger Carlos Delgado. He and agent David Sloane met Saturday with owner Jeffrey Loria, and Sloane said he plans to talk with team executives again Tuesday.
Burnett returned from reconstructive elbow surgery last June and went 7-6 with a 3.68 ERA in 120 innings. His career record is 37-38.
Last year, Burnett was paid $2.5 million. His new contract allows him to make $150,000 in performance bonuses: $50,000 each for 190, 200 and 210 innings pitched.
Mota, expected to be the Marlins' closer, agreed to a $2.6 million deal that allows him to earn $275,000 in performance bonuses. He received $1,475,000 last year, when he went 9-8 with a 3.07 ERA for Los Angeles and Florida.
Spooneybarger received $350,000, a raise from $305,000 last year, and can earn $75,000 in performance bonuses. He's hoping to come back this year from reconstructive elbow surgery that forced him to miss all of last season.
The only Florida player still in arbitration is right-hander Josh Beckett. Barring an agreement, Beckett and the Marlins will exchange proposals Tuesday, and a hearing will be held in February.
