It looks like Kim Ng will have a clear schedule in February, now that the remaining seven arbitration-eligible Dodgers have agreed to contracts for 2010, and in some cases, 2011. Here's a quick summary, with help from Tony Jackson of ESPN, Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times, and Ed Price of AOL:
- After submitting a salary of $7.65 million, compared to $6 million by the Dodgers, Andre Ethier signed a two-year deal for $15.25 million. Ethier will get $6 million in 2010, and $9.25 million in 2011, plus some incentives for a yet unknown amount
- After submitting a salary of $5.4 million, compared to $4.1 million by the Dodgers, Jonathan Broxton signed a two-year deal for $11 million. Broxton will receive $4 million in 2010, and $7 million in 2011, after which he is eligible for free agency
- Russell Martin gets $5.05 million, plus $50,000 for each of 550 & 600 plate appearances
- George Sherrill gets $4.5 million, plus $75,000 for each of 60 & 70 games
- James Loney gets $3.1 million in his first year of arbitration
- Hong-Chih Kuo gets $950,000, plus incentives of $25,000 for 55 & 60 games, and $50,000 for 65 & 70 games
I have updated the payroll worksheet (now with 45 footnotes!) with these details. As it stands right now, with another starting pitcher yet to be signed -- Ben Sheets, anyone? -- I have the 2010 payroll estimated at between $90-91 million. For 2011, I have estimated roughly $88 million. For reference, the current year's payroll is always located on the right side of the front page, including a link to the payroll worksheet for more details.
One of the other arbitration-eligible Dodgers, Chad Billingsley -- who signed last Friday -- gave an interview to Sirius XM radio about his second half slide. Former Dodgers beat writer Diamond Leung was listening and took some notes. Said Billingsley:
"Sitting out a couple starts, I wasn’t really doing a whole lot because you can’t really get up and run a whole lot. You’re pretty much sitting around for days (on) end. You just kind of get out of a routine. I don’t know if that was the case or I wasn’t sticking with my routine and getting out there on the mound every fifth day or making sure I get my bullpens in. It was a different experience for me, and I learned a lot from it, and it’s just going to make me that much better down the road."