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The Florida Marlins reached agreement with backup catchers Mike Redmond and Ramon Castro and two others on one-year deals Friday, leaving the World Series champions still to make decisions on more prominent players.
The Marlins had until Saturday to decide whether to offer contracts to several other arbitration-eligible players, including starting pitchers Brad Penny and Carl Pavano, shortstop Alex Gonzalez and reliever Braden Looper.
Pitcher Michael
Tejera and reserve outfielder Brian Banks also reached agreement.
Redmond will make $840,000 next season, 20 percent less than the $1.05 million
he earned in 2003. Tejera will get $425,000 while Castro and Banks signed deals
worth $400,000.
Florida had a payroll of about $54 million last season, and the cash-strapped franchise doesn't figure to exceed $60 million next year.
``We're getting close to our payroll range,'' general manager Larry Beinfest said.
The Marlins have traded pitcher Mark Redman, first baseman Derrek Lee and outfielder Juan Encarnacion, plus parted ways with catcher Ivan Rodriguez and closer Ugueth Urbina since beating the New York Yankees in the World Series.
Rodriguez's departure meant that signing Redmond and Castro was of particular importance to the Marlins. Rodriguez sought a $40 million, four-year deal; the Marlins countered with a three-year package worth about $21 million.
Redmond hit .240 with no homers in 125 at-bats in 2003. Castro, whose situation is a bit uncertain because of a rape charge filed against him in Pittsburgh last summer, hit .283 with five home runs in 53 at-bats.
Banks hit .235 last season, during which he made a team-high 53 pinch-hit appearances. Tejera went 3-4 with a 4.67 ERA in 81 innings, getting six starts and 44 relief outings.