The Mets are officially done with their arbitration cases. In addition to finalizing a multi-year contract with R.A. Dickey today, the club announced that they avoided arbitration with Angel Pagan by agreeing to a one-year, $3.5 million contract.
Pagan filed for $4.2 million and was offered a little over $3.06 million by the Mets when arbitration figures were exchanged earlier this month, so the two sides ultimately settled below the midpoint.
The 29-year-old outfielder began last season on Jerry Manuel’s bench, but ended up being one of the most valuable players on the team. He batted .290/.340/.425 with 11 home runs, 69 RBI and finished second in the National League with 37 stolen bases in 46 attempts. He was also brilliant defensively, giving the Mets an excellent insurance policy for center field should the club decide to move Carlos Beltran over to right field during spring training.
