Tuesday, January 17, 2012
[size=150]PHILLIES AVOID ARBITRATION WITH HAMELS, VALDEZ[/size]
Left-hander Cole Hamels and infielder Wilson Valdez have both agreed to one-year contracts with the Phillies, Senior Vice President & General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. announced today. Both players had been eligible for salary arbitration. Hamels will earn $15 million in 2012 and Valdez $930,000 and both contracts include award bonuses.
Hamels, 28, went 14-9 with a 2.79 ERA in 32 games (31 starts) for the Phillies last year. He was selected to his second career All-Star Game and finished fifth in National League Cy Young Award voting. Additionally, his 14 wins gave him at least 10 wins in five straight seasons making him the first Phillies pitcher to do so since Hall of Famer Steve Carlton’s 13-year streak from 1972-84. In the postseason, Hamels pitched 6.0 scoreless innings against the St. Louis Cardinals to earn the win in Game 3 of the National League Division Series. That win gave him the Phillies’ all-time lead in postseason victories with seven.
Valdez appeared in 99 games for the Phillies last season, batting .249 with 14 doubles, four triples, one home run and 30 RBI. With runners in scoring position, the 33-year-old batted .370. Defensively, Valdez made 33 starts at second base, 21 at third base and 20 at shortstop, while also earning the win in his first career relief appearance on May 25 against the Cincinnati Reds.
Right fielder Hunter Pence is the Phillies’ lone remaining player eligible for salary arbitration.
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Press Releases provided courtesy of the Phillies, Media Relations. Thanks, guys!
