Josh Hamilton signs $24m deal with Texas Rangers to avoid arbitration
Josh Hamilton signed a two-year deal worth $24m with the Texas Rangers on Thursday. The Rangers have agreed to tie in a signing bonus of three million dollars, which has gotten the true deal to a valuation of $24m. Josh will receive
$7.25m in 2011 while $13.75m will be his pay for 2012. The sides were at odds in the beginning following a huge gap in the wage demands.
If there was an element of uncertainty involved somewhere, it was surely present in the negotiations between the 2010 American League Most Valuable Player, Josh Hamilton, and the Texas Rangers. Both the parties have been mentioned
in the media countless times and the reason why they got that much of attention was the arbitration process. Hamilton has been looking for a pay raise and the Rangers were not willing enough to give the player an increment in his salary. However, that phase
has long passed as both sides have now reached a settlement.
Hamilton had been seeking $12m but the Rangers were only willing to offer $8.8m. The deal that has avoided arbitration will sit well with the management as it has been seeking to maintain its record for avoiding the panel for the
past 10 years. The announcement of the deal came from Arlington, in the Rangers’ Ballpark. Hamilton was with club president, Nolan Ryan and general manager, Jon Daniels at the venue. Josh spoke about his intent with the club.
"I want to be here for a long time. Hopefully, this will be just a drop in the bucket."
"More than a drop," Ryan jokingly said.
"Two drops?" Hamilton said, laughing.
"That's undetermined just yet ... the size of the bucket," Ryan quipped.
The Rangers will try to secure Hamilton on an extension deal, as the power-hitter is one credible asset that the ball club would require to better their chances at clinching the playoffs’ spot.
The Rangers will try to clinch a spot in the post-season and their chances will be great with Hamilton in the mix.
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