Javy Nice Day: Lopez Gets $2.025 Million

Catcher Javier Lopez and the Atlanta Braves agreed to a one-year contract worth $2,025,000, nearly seven times his $290,000 salary last season.

Lopez, 26, has been the Braves’ regular catcher since 1994 and was voted most valuable player of the 1996 NL championship series.

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Left-hander Donovan Osborne and the St. Louis Cardinals avoided salary arbitration, agreeing to a $12.75-million, three-year contract that makes him the team’s second-highest paid player.

The Cardinals also agreed to minor league contracts with former major leaguers Andy Van Slyke, Cory Snyder and Roberto Mejia and invited them to the major league camp.

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Second baseman Bret Boone and the Cincinnati Reds agreed to a four-year contract said to be worth $11.15 million. . . . Houston pitcher Darryl Kile was awarded $1.7 million by arbitrator Morton Mitchnick, rather than the $2.97 million he sought.