Dodgers Sign Padilla To One-Year Deal

The Dodgers are bringing back starting pitcher Vicente Padilla, who authored one of the best two consecutive game playoff pitching performances in club history, on a one-year deal.  Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports the deal is for $5.025 million, including a $1 million signing bonus and a $4.025 million base salary.  Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times reports that "Padilla can earn an additional $1 million in incentives based on innings pitched", and that Padilla's signing bonus will be paid in 2011.

Back in December, I warned that signing Padilla might not be the best move, considering how mediocre he was in Texas prior to his resurgence in 11 starts as a Dodger:

Unless the offer is a one-year contract for a few million bucks, perhaps with some incentives built in, the Dodgers should stay away from the Vicente Padilla sweepstakes.  Otherwise, he is a bad gamble.

Now, $4 million $5 million seems reasonable, given that it seems to be one of the lowest, if not the lowest, free agent contracts yet signed by a starting pitcher this offseason. “Vicente did a tremendous job for us down the stretch and his continued success in the postseason proved that he can pitch when there’s a lot at stake,” said Dodgers' GM Ned Colletti.  Here are his 2010 projections:

For what it's worth, Padilla did win our poll this morning over Jon Garland, so there's that!