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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, January 22, 2010

Victorino gets $22M, 3-year deal


Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Shane Victorino

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PHILADELPHIA — A person familiar with negotiations said the Philadelphia Phillies and All-Star center fielder Shane Victorino have agreed to a $22 million, three-year contract.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal hasn't been announced. Victorino, a St. Anthony alum from Maui, was eligible for arbitration.

Victorino had sought $5.8 million in arbitration. The Phillies offered $4.75 million.

Victorino hit .292 with 39 doubles, 13 triples, 10 home runs, 62 RBIs and 25 stolen bases for the NL champions last season. He won his second consecutive Gold Glove and was voted to the NL All-Star team.

Earlier yesterday, Joe Blanton agreed to a $24 million, three-year contract that avoided a salary arbitration hearing next month. The 29-year-old right-hander was 12-8 with a 4.05 ERA last year.

Catcher Carlos Ruiz is the only remaining Phillies player in arbitration.

"They came to me with the prospect of going long term, and I couldn't have been more thrilled," Blanton said at a news conference. "I couldn't be happier to have this opportunity to stay in the Phillies' organization. I've enjoyed my time here and I feel like the organization just keeps getting better and better every year."

After making $5,475,000 last year, Blanton asked for $10.25 million in arbitration and was offered $7.5 million. He already had agreed to a new deal before those numbers were submitted.

MARINERS

'KING FELIX' FINALIZES $78 MILLION DEAL

His fans from Seattle to Venezuela call him "King Felix."

Yet it's another, more personal title that Felix Hernandez cites as the reason his career took off last year, when he went from maddening inconsistency and unfulfilled potential to dominant pitching that earned him a $78 million, five-year deal with the Mariners.

Dad.

"It's the maturity, man. I had my kids and it made me grow up," the 23-year-old ace said yesterday after finalizing his first big contract.

The move averted an arbitration hearing between Hernandez and the Mariners, and it keeps him under contract through 2014. The right-hander gave up a chance to become a free agent after the 2011 season.

OUTSIDE THE LINES

JENKINS: MCGWIRE HAS MORE APOLOGIES

Ferguson Jenkins says Mark McGwire owes an apology to all those pitchers who gave up his home runs.

The Hall of Fame ace sent an open letter to The Associated Press this week, telling the former home-run king he hasn't "begun to apologize to those you have harmed."

Jenkins also maintained he would have known how to handle the bulked-up McGwire, who hit a then-record 70 homers in 1998 and followed with 65 the following year.

"It's tough to hit a home run off your back," Jenkins said. "In my era, Seaver, Gibson, Drysdale, Carlton, there were so many guys that would have probably knocked him on his butt. He wouldn't have hit home runs the way he did in that era."

ELSEWHERE

Brewers: Right-hander Todd Coffey and Milwaukee avoided salary arbitration, agreeing to a $2,025,002, one-year contract. Coffey became a key reliever last year after being claimed off waivers in September 2008. He went 4-4 with a 2.90 ERA in 78 appearances last year.

Dodgers: Los Angeles re-signed right-hander Vicente Padilla to a one-year contract after his outstanding performance down the stretch last season. The Dodgers picked up Padilla last Aug. 19 after he was released by Texas. He went 4-0 with a 3.20 ERA in seven starts for Los Angeles.

Marlins: Pitcher Josh Johnson and Florida finalized their $39 million, four-year contract.Florida reached the agreement last week, just days after the Marlins pledged to increase payroll spending in response to complaints from the players' union.

Rangers: Infielder Khalil Greene and Texas finalized a $750,000, one-year contract yesterday. Texas was looking for a utility infielder who could play shortstop after the departure of free agent Omar Vizquel, who signed with the Chicago White Sox.

Tigers: Detroit slugger Miguel Cabrera has spent three months in a treatment program for alcoholism. Cabrera said he hasn't had a drink since he was taken into custody by police after a domestic-abuse complaint was filed by his wife in the early morning of Oct. 3 — hours before a game against the Chicago White Sox.