LOS ANGELES, Dec. 6 (UPI) -- Adrian Beltre, who saw appendix surgery ruin a promising season, avoided a potentially messy arbitration hearing with the Los Angeles Dodgers by agreeing Thursday to a one-year contract.
Financial terms were not disclosed, but the slugging third baseman was paid $1.25 million in 2001, when he batted .265 with 13 home runs and 60 RBI in 126 games.
Beltre underwent offseason surgery and the complications, including a significant weight loss, kept him from joining the team until mid-May. He was durable upon his return but failed to build on his 2000 campaign, when he hit .290 with 20 homers and 85 RBI.
Beltre signed a three-year contract in the spring of 2000 and the deal nullified a grievance he filed against the club for signing him underage. Under terms of that deal, Beltre was slated to make $2.8 million, but he had the option to file for arbitration.
The 22-year-old Beltre has reached double figures in home runs and stolen bases in each of his three major league seasons and has a lifetime average of .270 with 88 doubles, 11 triples, 55 homers and 234 RBI in 493 games.
