A.L. MVP Pedroia gets 6-year deal
Dustin Pedroia has a Rookie of the Year award, an MVP, a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger and, of course, a World Series ring.
And now he has the big-bucks contract befitting one of the most decorated young players in baseball.
The Red Sox second baseman, who earned $457,000 last season while winning the A.L. Most Valuable Player award, agreed Wednesday to a $40.5 million, six-year contract that could keep him in Boston through at least 2014.
“I wanted to be here a long time,” Pedroia said at a Fenway Park news conference. “Hopefully, in the next six years we can win some championships.”
Heading into his third year in the majors, the 5-foot-9 second baseman has already joined Cal Ripken Jr. and Ryan Howard as the only players in baseball history to follow a rookie award with an MVP. Pedroia led the A.L. with 213 hits, 118 runs and 54 doubles while batting .326 with 17 home runs, 83 RBIs and 20 stolen bases.
He is the first A.L. second baseman to win the MVP award since Nellie Fox in 1959 with the Chicago White Sox. The Red Sox have reached the postseason in both of his years with the club.
“He embodies just about everything we look for in a Red Sox player, and that makes this a great day for the organization,” general manager Theo Epstein said. “Dustin plays hard, first and foremost, all the time. He plays to win. He plays for his teammates, not himself.
“What’s not to like? If we had 25 guys like him, we’d be in good shape. I don’t think we’d be the Red Sox right now without Dustin Pedroia.”
The club effectively bought out Pedroia’s arbitration years and his first two years of free agency (2013-14). There is also a club option for 2015 that is voided if he’s traded. Although negotiations began during the summer, the Red Sox expected Pedroia to be in contention for the MVP award and made their offer knowing that arbitration awards for MVP winners can be expensive.
Mariners sign Branyan
Free agent Russell Branyan and the Seattle Mariners agreed to a $1.4 million, one-year contract.
The left-handed-hitting Branyan batted .250 with 12 homers and 20 RBIs in just 132 at-bats with Milwaukee last season.
He has hit 133 home runs in 11 major league seasons, including 24 in 2002 and 18 in 2006. He can also play first base, third base and be a designated hitter.
In other news, Seattle hired Rick Adair as pitching coach and John Wetteland as bullpen coach.
Clearing the bases
Oft-injured Mike Hampton finalized a one-year, $2 million deal with the Houston Astros, hoping to resurrect his career in the place where he became a prominent big league pitcher. … San Francisco took another step to bolster its bullpen, agreeing a $2.75 million, one-year contract with free-agent reliever Bobby Howry. … Left-hander Trever Miller and the St. Louis Cardinals finalized a one-year contract. … Right-handed reliever Chad Fox and the Chicago Cubs agreed to a minor league contract. … The New York Mets signed pitcher Nelson Figueroa, pitcher Adam Bostick, infielder Andy Green and catcher Rene Rivera to minor league contracts.