ANAHEIM, Calif. - Right-hander Jered Weaver and catcher Mike Napoli were among four players who agreed to one-year contracts with the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday, avoiding salary arbitration.
Second baseman Howie Kendrick and outfielder Reggie Willits also reached deals with the Angels, who will give hefty raises to several key contributors to last season's run to the AL West title and the league championship series.
Weaver will make $4,265,000, up from $465,000 last year. He went 16-8 with a 3.75 ERA and 174 strikeouts in 2009, and will be even more important to the Angels after John Lackey's free-agent departure to Boston.
Napoli will make $3.6 million after earning $2 million last year. Kendrick will get a raise to $1.75 million from $465,000, and Willits gets $625,000 after making $450,000 last year.
The Angels still have four players in arbitration: left-hander Joe Saunders, catcher Jeff Mathis and infielders Maicer Izturis and Erick Aybar.
Saunders, who made $475,000 last year while going 16-7 and making an outstanding late-season surge, asked for $3.85 million. The Angels offered $3.6 million.
Aybar is the Angels' starting shortstop and Chone Figgins' probable successor as leadoff man. He's seeking a $2.75 million deal after making $460,000 last year, while Los Angeles countered with a $1.8 million offer.
Izturis, who will compete for playing time at second base and third, is seeking a raise to $3 million after making $1.6 million last year.
