Anaheim, CA (Sportsbooks) - The Angels offered salary arbitration to first baseman Mark Teixeira, closer Francisco Rodriguez, starting hurler Jon Garland and southpaw Darren Oliver on Monday. Teixeira, Rodriguez and Oliver are Type-A free agents, which means that the Angels will receive compensatory picks in the 2009 amateur draft if any of the three players decline arbitration by the December 7 deadline and sign elsewhere. If Garland, a Type-B free agent, declines arbitration and signs with another team, the Angels will receive a sandwich round draft pick (between the first two rounds). Teixeira, who came over from Atlanta in a trade during last season, made a smooth transition to the American League, batting .358 with 13 homers and 43 runs batted in with the Angels over 54 games. Rodriguez was his normal dominant self at the end of games, saving a major- league record 62 contests with a 2.24 earned run average. The star closer saved 14 games for the right-hander Garland, who started 32 games and logged 196 2/3 frames last season. The veteran Oliver was magical last season for the AL West champions, posting a 7-1 mark with a 2.88 earned run average out of the bullpen in 54 appearances. |
