Mets agree with Mike Pelfrey, three others
Starting pitcher Credit: Getty ImagesMike Pelfrey #34 of the New York Mets pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the Major League Baseball game at Chase Field. (Aug. 13, 2011)
The Mets, who seemingly have led the major leagues in headaches the past few years, avoided additional agita Tuesday by signing their four remaining arbitration-eligible players, thereby avoiding the stressful arbitration process.
Righthander Mike Pelfrey signed for $5,687,500, a 44.9-percent raise from his 2011 salary of $3,925,000 despite a terrible campaign last year (7-13, 4.74 ERA). The Mets deemed that a reasonable payment for a pitcher who has proved to be an innings-eater, if nothing approaching the ace the Mets hoped when they drafted him in 2005.
Only 25¢ for 5 months
The Mets, who seemingly have led the major leagues in headaches the past few years, avoided additional agita Tuesday by signing their four remaining arbitration-eligible players, thereby avoiding the stressful arbitration process.
Righthander Mike Pelfrey signed for $5,687,500, a 44.9-percent raise from his 2011 salary of $3,925,000 despite a terrible campaign last year (7-13, 4.74 ERA). The Mets deemed that a reasonable payment for a pitcher who has proved to be an innings-eater, if nothing approaching the ace the Mets hoped when they drafted him in 2005.
New centerfielder Andres Torres will make $2.7 million, a 22.7-percent raise from the $2.2 million he earned with the Giants last year. The Mets traded Angel Pagan for Torres in part because of the payroll savings that swap would create; San Francisco will pay Pagan $4.85 million.
Torres is coming off a poor 2011 campaign with the Giants.
Ramon Ramirez, the reliever who joined Torres in the San Francisco package for Pagan, agreed to a $2.65-million deal, a 60.6-percent raise from his $1.65-million paycheck last year. Ramirez enjoyed a much better 2011 season than Pelfrey or Torres.
Ramirez's fellow reliever Manny Acosta, in his first year of arbitration eligibility, will earn $875,000.