DENVER -- The Rockies and Garrett Atkins reached a one-year, $7.05 million agreement Tuesday to avoid an arbitration hearing that was scheduled for Friday. It marks the second straight year that Atkins has avoided arbitration. Last year, Atkins and the Rockies reached a one-year, $4.3875 agreement. Atkins has one more year of arbitration eligibility. Atkins' deal includes incentives for plate appearances -- $12,500 at 600 and 625, $25,000 at 650 and 675 and $50,000 at 700. "You never know if you're going to reach an agreement, but going to arbitration hearings is not fun at all," Atkins' agent, Jeff Blank, said. "Going into the season, the focus is on the team and when you go into the hearing room it tends to have the opposite effect. To have this done is huge for Garrett, and his sole focus can be on Spring Training." Before reaching the agreement, Atkins had sought $7.95 million and the team had offered $6.65 million. Atkins, 29, a .298 career hitter, was the last of the Rockies' arbitration-eligible players. Right-handed pitchers Taylor Buchholz, Jason Grilli and Huston Street, left-handed pitcher Jorge De La Rosa and second baseman Clint Barmes reached one-year contracts before exchanging figures with the Rockies. Atkins, who will be called upon to be a major run-producer now that outfielder Matt Holliday has been traded to the Athletics, said he won't fall into the trap of pressing to live up to the lofty contract number. "My numbers the first half of last year showed that I was just playing my game," Atkins said. "I believe in keeping it simple, going pitch-to-pitch. When you concern yourself with big-picture thoughts, it can end badly." http://0rz.tw/CqOPW --

※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc) ◆ From: 218.171.150.194