Bell headlines list of Padres to reach deals
Adams, Headley, Ludwick and Stauffer also avoid arbitration
SAN DIEGO -- The Padres have avoided hearings with all five of their remaining arbitration-eligible players.
Pitchers Heath Bell, Mike Adams, Tim Stauffer, third baseman Chase Headley and left fielder Ryan Ludwick are now all under contract for 2011. Bell agreed to a deal worth $7.5 million. Ludwick ($6.775), Adams ($2.535), Headley ($2.325) and Stauffer ($1.075) also earned raises from their 2010 salaries. "I was pretty happy to get all those guys done. I thought we might exchange on one guy. It was pretty smooth," Padres general manager Jed Hoyer said. Bell, who had a career-high 47 saves last season, figured to be in for a big raise from the $4 million he made a year ago. Bell, in his second full season as a Major League closer, was 6-1 with a 1.93 ERA in 67 games. That followed a 2009 season when he had 42 saves and made his first National League All-Star team. Bell said he's hoping to stay in San Diego beyond 2011. "What I like about the whole deal is that they [Padres] wanted to do a one-year deal, take a breather and then possibly look at a multiyear deal later on," Bell said on Tuesday. "I want to be here. I want to help build this organization and help turn it around like we did last year. It would be a huge honor to be part of it." Ludwick, who made $5.45 million a year ago, hit .211 in 59 games after he was acquired from the Cardinals as part of a three-team deal on July 31 that also included the Indians. Ludwick hit six home runs and drove in 26 runs after the trade and has vowed that he will perform better in 2011. He'll be counted on even more as a run producer this season now that Adrian Gonzalez has been traded to the Red Sox. "I'm going to surprise some people," Ludwick said last month. "I'm trying for a fresh start." Stauffer, who figures to be an important piece in the starting rotation, was 6-5 with a 1.85 ERA between long relief and the rotation. He made $415,000 a year ago. Adams, considered one of the premier setup pitchers in the National League, had a 1.76 ERA in 70 games last season. Adams made $1 million last season in his first year of being eligible for arbitration. Headley was an interesting case because he qualified for "Super 2" status after two-plus seasons in the Major Leagues, meaning he ranked among the highest 17 percent of players with fewer than the usual arbitration threshold of three years. Headley had two years and 123 days of Major League service time, which means that he became eligible for free agency a year early -- by one day. That means he likely went from making about $450,000 this upcoming season to the $2.325 figure he and the Padres settled on. Earlier this month, the Padres avoided arbitration with shortstop Jason Bartlett when the sides agreed on a two-year deal.Corey Brock is a reporter for MLB.com. Keep track of @FollowThePadres on Twitter. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.



