Dodgers Avoid Arbitration, Sign James Loney To One-Year Deal

Yeah, about that salary arbitration hearing scheduled for next Friday? Scrap that, as the Dodgers have signed James Loney to a one-year deal worth $4.875 million, according to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com. That salary is below the midpoint of $4.975 million (as Loney was asking for $5.25 million in arbitration, while the Dodgers filed at $4.7 million), but I wouldn't be surprised to see salary escalators, as was the case with Hong-Chih Kuo (although I doubt Loney gets bonuses for games finished).

The Dodgers now have 20 players under contract for $92.05 million in 2011. There are no more pending arbitration cases; all that is left from a contractual standpoint is to sign the other 20 guys on the 40-man roster (all with less than three years of MLB service time) to deals.

Pitchers and catchers report to Camelback Ranch next Wednesday, with the first workout on Thursday.