Mets, Dickey reportedly reach agreement

The Mets and pitcher R.A. Dickey have avoided an arbitration hearing, agreeing to a guaranteed two-year deal with a team option for a third year, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.

When arbitration salary figures were exchanged recently, Dickey asked for $4.7 million and the Mets countered with $3.35 million. Reports have indicated that the two-year deal is worth just under $8 million in guaranteed salary.

The deal is contingent on a physical, which Dickey is expected to take Monday in New York.

The 36-year-old journeyman knuckleballer is coming off his breakthrough season in the majors, going 11-9 with a 2.84 ERA and 1.187 WHIP in 27 games, including 26 starts.

After getting cut early in spring training, Dickey returned as an early-season call-up and ultimately set career highs in victories, innings (1741/3) and strikeouts (104).

He credited his surprising consistency to finally learning how to control his knuckleball, which he throws with more velocity than a typical knuckler.