He received $8.5 million, most ever paid in one year to a player eligible for arbitration. Wow, we'll have this incredible third baseman and incredible looking guy for hopefully one more full season.
Story from AP:
Third baseman Scott Rolen and the Phillies agreed to a one-year, $8.6 million contract today, the largest one-year deal ever for a position player eligible for arbitration.
First baseman Travis Lee and righthander Robert Person also avoided arbitration by signing one-year deals.
Rolen's contract includes incentives and is the largest in team history. He made 5.5 million in 2001.
Rolen will become a free agent after this season. The Phillies wanted to sign the Gold Glove third baseman to a long-term deal, but he made it clear that he wants to test the open market.
"Our feelings have not changed about Scott at all," Phillies general manager Ed Wade said this week. "We'd still like to have him be a Phillie for his entire career."
Rolen batted .289 with 25 homers, 107 RBIs and won his third Gold Glove award last year. In five full seasons with Philadelphia, Rolen has averaged 26
homers and 95 RBIs. He missed 84 games with injuries in 1999 and 2000, but played in 151 games in 2001.
Wade said he was willing to offer Rolen a seven-year, guaranteed contract with an average value of $14 million a year and three option years. Once Rolen refused to negotiate, Wade tried to trade him. But talks with Baltimore and Seattle during the winter meetings were fruitless.
Lee, who made $800,000 last season, will receive $3 million in 2002. Person, who had a base salary of $2.975 million in 2001, will make $6.25 million, plus incentives this season.
Lee hit 20 homers with a career-high 90 RBIs last season. He also reached career highs in games (157), runs (75), doubles (34) and walks (71), and
finished third among NL first basemen with a .996 fielding percentage.
Person was 15-7 with a 4.19 ERA last season. He led the team in wins, innings (208.1) and starts (33), and was 9-2 after the All-Star break.
"All three players are very important to our ongoing success, and we're glad we've put the contract issues aside for this year," Wade said. "Robert is our No. 1 starter, Scott is one of our cornerstone players, and Travis is still evolving into the high-level player that he is capable of becoming."