Updated Jan 19, 2010 - 3:26 pm
Rays agree to 1-year contracts with 3 players
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E-mail thisST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - The Tampa Bay Rays have agreed to one-year contracts with All-Star shortstop Jason Bartlett, right-hander Matt Garza and left-handed reliever J.P. Howell.
The team was unable to reach an agreement Tuesday with center fielder B.J. Upton, who is expected to go to an arbitration hearing in February even though the sides aren't far apart. The Rays have a policy of not negotiating once salary figures are exchanged.
Upton asked for $3.3 million, and the team offered $3 million.
Bartlett gets a $4 million deal. He earned $1.98 million last season while batting .320 with 14 homers, 66 RBIs and 30 steals.
Garza will make $3.35 million after earning $433,300 in 2009. He and the Rays exchanged figures Tuesday, with both sides proposing the salary they settled on.
Garza was 8-12 with a 3.95 ERA in 32 starts last season.
Howell's salary jumps from $433,700 to $1.8 million. He was 7-5 with a 2.84 ERA and 17 saves in 69 appearances last year.
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