Tampa Bay has avoided arbitration with Sean Rodriguez, signing the infielder to a one-year, $1 million deal.
Rodriguez hasn’t hit as well as hoped based on his minor-league track record, batting just .225 with a .658 OPS that included a measly .607 mark this year, but he’s gotten 378, 436, and 342 plate appearances for the Rays during the past three seasons.
At age 28 he figures to fill a similar utility man/quasi-starter role in 2013.
