RAYS AGREE TO ONE-YEAR CONTRACT WITH UPTON

courtesy of the Tampa Bay Rays

ST. PETERSBURG, FL—The Tampa Bay Rays have agreed to a one-year contract with center fielder B.J. Upton, avoiding arbitration.

Upton, 27, will earn $4.825 million. In 2010, he hit .237 (127-for-536) with 18 home runs, 38 doubles, 62 RBI and 42 stolen bases in 154 games. Upton is the fifth center fielder in AL history to record 60 extra-base hits and 40 steals in one season, joining Detroit’s Ty Cobb (1911-12, 1917), Boston’s Tris Speaker (1913-14), New York’s Rickey Henderson (1986) and Kansas City’s Johnny Damon (2000). Over the last three seasons (2008-10) he is the only player in the majors to collect at least 100 doubles and 100 steals. His 128 steals in that stretch rank fourth in the majors behind Houston’s Michael Bourn (154), Chicago’s Juan Pierre (138) and Boston’s Carl Crawford (132). He ranked sixth in the majors in stolen bases last season.

29 Days Until Spring Training