Baseball Guru
01-18-2002, 06:18 PM
By JANIE McCAULEY
AP Sports Writer
January 18, 2002, 5:33 PM EST
SEATTLE -- Pitchers Freddy Garcia and John Halama agreed to one-year contracts with the Seattle Mariners on Friday along with infielder Charles Gipson, avoiding arbitration.
Garcia will get $3.8 million, Halama $1.4 million and Gipson $450,000.
"We're pleased to get them done," said Lee Pelekoudas, the team's vice president for baseball administration. "We didn't get them done to avoid the (arbitration) process. We thought we got them done at fair numbers. They can concentrate now on coming to camp and getting ready to play."
General manager Pat Gillick said Garcia, 25, is capable of being a No. 1 starter, though the Mariners still could add a pitcher.
Garcia, a right-hander, was 18-6 last season with an American League-leading 3.05 ERA and 163 strikeouts.
"Freddy's certainly shown he has the ability to be a No. 1 starter, but we can't overlook Jamie Moyer," Pelekoudas said. "Freddy has a bright future ahead of him and he has shown he can handle the heavy work load and win some big games for us."
Seattle acquired Garcia in a July 31, 1998, trade with Houston that sent pitcher Randy Johnson to the Astros.
The left-handed Halama, 29, had a 10-7 record and 4.74 ERA last year in 31 games, going 4-1 with a 1.84 ERA in 14 relief appearances. He started three games at Triple-A Tacoma and threw a perfect game July 7 against Calgary. It was the first perfect game in the 99-year history of the Pacific Coast League.
Gipson is a utilityman who played six positions for the Mariners last year, his first full season in the majors. He played second base, third base, shortstop and in all three outfield spots. Gipson, 29, hit .219 with two doubles, two triples and five runs batted in.
Seattle has three players remaining in arbitration: pitcher Paul Abbott, shortstop Carlos Guillen and infielder David Bell.
Copyright © 2002, The Associated Press
AP Sports Writer
January 18, 2002, 5:33 PM EST
SEATTLE -- Pitchers Freddy Garcia and John Halama agreed to one-year contracts with the Seattle Mariners on Friday along with infielder Charles Gipson, avoiding arbitration.
Garcia will get $3.8 million, Halama $1.4 million and Gipson $450,000.
"We're pleased to get them done," said Lee Pelekoudas, the team's vice president for baseball administration. "We didn't get them done to avoid the (arbitration) process. We thought we got them done at fair numbers. They can concentrate now on coming to camp and getting ready to play."
General manager Pat Gillick said Garcia, 25, is capable of being a No. 1 starter, though the Mariners still could add a pitcher.
Garcia, a right-hander, was 18-6 last season with an American League-leading 3.05 ERA and 163 strikeouts.
"Freddy's certainly shown he has the ability to be a No. 1 starter, but we can't overlook Jamie Moyer," Pelekoudas said. "Freddy has a bright future ahead of him and he has shown he can handle the heavy work load and win some big games for us."
Seattle acquired Garcia in a July 31, 1998, trade with Houston that sent pitcher Randy Johnson to the Astros.
The left-handed Halama, 29, had a 10-7 record and 4.74 ERA last year in 31 games, going 4-1 with a 1.84 ERA in 14 relief appearances. He started three games at Triple-A Tacoma and threw a perfect game July 7 against Calgary. It was the first perfect game in the 99-year history of the Pacific Coast League.
Gipson is a utilityman who played six positions for the Mariners last year, his first full season in the majors. He played second base, third base, shortstop and in all three outfield spots. Gipson, 29, hit .219 with two doubles, two triples and five runs batted in.
Seattle has three players remaining in arbitration: pitcher Paul Abbott, shortstop Carlos Guillen and infielder David Bell.
Copyright © 2002, The Associated Press