Briefs: Eckstein wins arbitration case against Angels
SportsLine.com wire reports
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Anaheim Angels shortstop David Eckstein won his arbitration case Thursday and will receive a salary increase of nearly $2 million.
Eckstein made $425,000 last season and will receive a bump in pay to $2.15 million. Anaheim had offered $1.6 million.
In 120 games for the club last season, the 29-year-old Eckstein batted .252 with three homers, 31 RBI, 16 stolen bases and 22 doubles.
A three-year veteran, he had his best season in 2002 when the Angels won their first-ever World Series. In 152 games that season, Eckstein posted career- bests in average (.293), home runs (8) and RBI (63).
Over 425 career games, Eckstein has batted .279 with a .984 fielding percentage at second base and shortstop.
Mets give P Baldwin minor-league deal
NEW YORK -- Pitcher James Baldwin agreed Thursday to a minor-league contract with the New York Mets and was invited to spring training.
Baldwin, who won the 2000 All-Star Game, would get a $500,000, one-year contract if he is added to the 40-man roster and could earn an additional $500,000 in performance bonuses.
The 32-year-old right-hander was 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA in 10 relief appearances for Minnesota last season. He also went 3-2 with a 4.08 ERA in eight games for Omaha, Kansas City's Triple-A team, then was 0-2 with a 2.42 ERA for Minnesota's Triple-A team at Rochester.
Baldwin is 79-70 with a 5.02 ERA in his career, pitching for the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles, Seattle and the Twins.
Wilson gets rare Pirates arbitration win
PITTSBURGH -- Shortstop Jack Wilson won his arbitration case Thursday, the first Pittsburgh Pirates player to beat the club in a salary hearing since second baseman Jose Lind in 1992.
The Pirates proposed a $1.4 million salary for Wilson, but arbitrators Dan Brent, Elisabeth Neumeier and I.B. Helburn chose Wilson's proposal of $1.85 million.
Wilson hit .256 last year with nine homers and 62 RBI -- three more homers and four more RBIs than catcher Jason Kendall, who made $8.5 million. Wilson made $335,000 last season, his third as the Pirates' shortstop.
Wilson was the first Pittsburgh player to go to a hearing since third baseman Jeff King lost in 1993 and was paid $675,000, rather than his proposed $1,075,000. The year before that, Lind won his case and was paid $2 million, or $1 million more than the Pirates offered.
The arbitration loss was the first for the Pirates since they hired Pittsburgh lawyer Larry Silverman as vice president and baseball legal counsel. Silverman argued the Pirates' arbitration case Wednesday in Phoenix.
Vitiello takes minor-league Expos deal
MONTREAL -- Utility player Joe Vitiello agreed Thursday to a minor-league contract with the Montreal Expos.
Vitiello, 33, hit .342 with three homers and 13 RBI in 76 at-bats for the Expos last season. He started 20 games -- 13 in left field, six at first base and one as designated hitter -- and was used as a pinch hitter against left-handed pitchers.
Tigers send Mears to Toledo
DETROIT -- Chris Mears was sent outright to Triple-A Toledo on Thursday by the Detroit Tigers.
The 26-year-old right-hander was 1-3 with a 5.44 ERA in 29 games last season with the Tigers. He was 5-1 with a 2.78 ERA in 25 appearances with Toledo.
