Add Andre Ethier and Jonathan Broxton to the list of names that avoided arbitration by agreeing to two-year deals. Ethier will earn $15.25 million plus more with incentives, and Broxton gets $11 million.
Matt Kemp has previously inked a two-year deal for $11.25 million.
With a handful of other signings taking place today (see above post), the Dodgers didn't end up going to arbitration with anybody. Give the team some credit for finding ways to get it done.
Like the Kemp deal, both signings are good short-term investments. All three have proven that they have unlimited potential. And all three have been right in the thick of back-to-back NL West championships and first round sweeps.
Ethier will team up with Manny Ramirez and Kemp to form a solid middle of the order. That's one of the best outfields in baseball. Ethier had the power numbers last year with 31 homers, 106 RBIs, and 41 doubles. He'll look to improve upon his .272 average as well.
Broxton stepped up to be the man in the bullpen in his first full season as a closer. He went 36-for-42 in save opportunities with one hold sprinkled in. He also had a 2.61 ERA with an amazing 114 strikeouts in 76 innings. Wow.
The two-year window for manageable money is the smart thing to do for the Dodgers. If all three players become superstars, then they will earn their mega-contracts in due time. But, if there's slippage, the team can thank themselves for not overreacting early and blowing tons of money.
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