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GaryMrMets
01-17-2003, 01:26 AM
Astros Agree to Deals With Dotel, Ward

HOUSTON -- Reliever Octavio Dotel and outfielder Daryle Ward avoided salary arbitration by agreeing to one-year deals with the Houston Astros.

Dotel will be paid $1.6 million next season and Ward will get $1.35 million. Dotel can earn an additional $50,000 in performance bonuses, $25,000 each for appearing in 60 and 70 games.

Dotel was 6-4 with a 1.85 ERA and six saves in an Astros-record 83 appearances last season. He led all major league relievers with 118 strikeouts and ranked second with 97 1/3 innings pitched.

Ward batted .276 with 12 home runs and a career-high 72 RBI in 136 games.

The signing leaves the Astros with two arbitration-eligible players, infielders Geoff Blum and Julio Lugo.

PopTop
01-17-2003, 09:03 AM
Thanks for posting that, GaryMets ... The money for Dotel almost feels like a steal; he has been the premier setup arm in baseball over the last two seasons.

I expect both Lugo and Blum to come to agreements before arbitration as well.