PITTSBURGH (AP) — First basemen Garrett Jones and Gaby Sanchez have agreed to one-year contracts with the Pittsburgh Pirate, while second baseman Neil Walker and right-hander James McDonald swapped proposed salaries with the team in arbitration.
Jones, who also plays right field, got a raise from $2.25 million to $4.5 million after losing last winter in arbitration, where he had asked for $2.5 million. He hit .274 with a career-high 27 homers and 86 RBIs, which matched his 2006 total.
Eligible for arbitration for the first time, Sanchez received a hike from $483,000 to $1.75 million after batting .241 with four homers and 13 RBIs in 116 big league at-bats.
Walker and McDonald also are eligible for the first time. Walker asked for $3.6 million and was offered $3 million, and McDonald asked for $3.4 million and was offered $2.65 million.
If agreements are not reached, hearings would be held before three-arbitrator panels next month in Phoenix.
