Lopez, Nationals agree to $3.9 million, 1-year deal

Johnny BlazE · 01-23-2007, 11:02 AM

Quote:

WASHINGTON -- Felipe Lopez and the Washington Nationals avoided arbitration by agreeing to a $3.9 million, one-year deal Monday.

Lopez and the club met right in the middle: He had asked for $4.1 million when he filed for arbitration, while the Nationals submitted a $3.7 million offer. Lopez made $2.7 million last year.

He's played most of his major league career as a shortstop but has agreed to shift to second base in 2007, when he's expected to be Washington's leadoff hitter.

The Nationals acquired Lopez in July in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds. He batted .274 overall in 2006, with 11 homers, 52 RBIs and 44 steals.

Lopez's best season came with the Reds in 2005, when he was an All-Star and hit .291 with 23 homers and 85 RBIs.

The agreement left four Nationals in arbitration: starter John Patterson, closer Chad Cordero, and outfielders Austin Kearns and Alex Escobar.

Thoughts?

StylesÃ‚â„¢ · 01-23-2007, 04:58 PM

He's not bad for a leadoff hitter and the Nationals need a lot of help, he could be the first piece in the puzzle...Out of the guys on Arbitration, they really need to keep Austin Kearns and Chad Cordero, both pretty good if not very good players at their position, they need Patterson and Escobar also, just because the lack of depth they have at those positions...

Killswitch · 01-24-2007, 11:33 AM

This is a huge signing I think. This basically will keep in any kind of race because they were down a leadoff hitter ever sense they traded Jose Vidro. With him there it fills the whole and makes it much better now.

StylesÃ‚â„¢ · 01-24-2007, 05:41 PM

The only bad thing is its only for one year, if he has a good season, you know he's not going to stay in DC...

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Lopez, Nationals agree to $3.9 million, 1-year deal

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