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January 16, 2006
Transaction
Texas signed catcher ROD BARAJAS to a one-year deal for $3.2 million, avoiding arbitration.
Barajas vaults from low-rent minor-league free agent to $1.85 million to $3.2 million in two years, thus raising US aggregate inflation-adjusted wages by 0.2% all by himself. Though he ranked only 15 th in VORP (Value Over Replacement Player) among MLB catchers, he provided strong defense, which VORP doesn’t measure. Perhaps he doesn’t deserve quite that much, but Texas loathes the (usually) needless acrimony of arbitration as much as any team in baseball.
The real fun begins after the season, when Barajas can become a free agent. Will someone guarantee his current salary or more for three-plus seasons?.