In advance of Tuesday's 11 am deadline for teams to resign arbitration eligible players, the Kansas City Royals agreed to terms with catcher Brayan Pena and utility infielder Chris Getz on one year deals. Kansas City Star writer Rustin Dodd tweeted both deals.
Pena, 30, rejoins the Royals for $875,000, a raise over last year's $660,000. He hit .248/.288/.338 in 72 games with three home runs and 24 RBI. He is remembered for mashing the ball in both trips for the Royals in Arlington when they took on the Texas Rangers. He provided a 0.5 WAR last season, while Fangraphs estimated his salary to be worth $1 million last year.
He certainly will be in the shadows behind Salvador Perez, but Pena is known as a good chemistry guy in the clubhouse and brings a positive attitude to the ballpark each day. I have no problems with this deal.
Getz, is someone I continue to wonder what place he really has on the team. The 28-year old came over from the Chicago White Sox prior to the 2010 season in the Mark Teahen trade and posted a .255/.313/.287 line last year that left much to be desired. In 118 games he did manage a 1.0 WAR which somehow calculated to a $4.3 million per year player. He will make $967,000 next season.
The question I have with Getz is he is limited to second base, a position the Royals want to have Johnny Giavotella play every day. I felt that the organization would have been better suited trying to find a more rounded utility player for the 2011 season, leaving the Yuniesky Betancourt signing out of the equation. On a positive note, Bill James does predict Chris Getz to have one home run in 2012, something he has yet to do in 190 career games for Kansas City.
With the signing of the two, Kansas City will now enter intro arbitration for 2012 contracts with pitchers Luke Hochevar, Felipe Paulino, and Jonathan Sanchez. Outfielders Alex Gordon and Mitch Maier will also be offered arbitration as well.
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