From Deseret News archives:
Dodgers, Izturis avoid arbitration
Izturis, a switch-hitter who turns 25 next month, had by far his best season last year, hitting .288 with 193 hits, four homers, 62 RBIs and 90 runs. Izturis stole 25 bases in 34 attempts and won his first Gold Glove, committing only 10 errors.
Izturis receives a $300,000 signing bonus and will earn $2.05 million this year, $3.1 million in 2006 and $4.15 million in 2007.
Los Angeles has a 2008 option at $5.85 million with a $300,000 buyout. In addition, Izturis' salary would rise by $150,000 in any season after he wins a Gold Glove.
Izturis, who made $358,500 last year, has been Los Angeles' starting shortstop the past three seasons and was eligible for arbitration for the first time. The Dodgers acquired him from the Toronto Blue Jays in a four-player trade in December 2001.
Right-handed reliever Eric Gagne, the NL Cy Young Award winner in 2003, and right-handed starter Brad Penny are the two Dodgers left in arbitration. The players and the team will exchange salary figures Tuesday, with arbitration hearings scheduled February.
DUCKWORTH AN ASTRO: Right-hander Brandon Duckworth and the Houston Astros agreed Monday to a $500,000, one-year contract, a raise of $110,000.
Duckworth, a 29-year-old Kearns High graduate, was 1-2 with a 6.86 ERA in 19 games last year and is 16-20 with a 5.09 ERA in 64 starts and 20 relief appearances in parts of four seasons. He was acquired from Philadelphia in 2003 along with right-handers Ezequiel Astacio and Taylor Buchholz for left-handed reliever Billy Wagner.
In addition to his base salary, Duckworth can earn bonuses.
PUJOLS STILL HURTING: Despite offseason treatment for a heel injury that hindered him much of last season, St. Louis Cardinals star Albert Pujols says the pain has returned.
Pujols, third in the NL MVP voting last year behind Barry Bonds and Adrian Beltre, underwent sound wave treatment for chronic plantar fasciitis on his left heel after the season. He had been feeling much better in the weeks after the treatment, but began experiencing trouble again about a week ago.
Team doctors had planned for Pujols to undergo more than one treatment, but he had been feeling so good the team hadn't thought there was a need.
"It's still bothering me," Pujols said Monday. "It's something I'm pretty sure I'm going to go through again this year because it's too late for surgery. I don't want to miss spring training, and I don't want to miss the first month and a half of the season."
