Beltre, Dodgers Avoid Arbitration

The Dodgers avoided arbitration with third baseman Adrian Beltre on Thursday, adding $250,000 in performance incentives to his 2002 base salary.

Beltre exercised a clause in his contract that permitted him to go to arbitration despite being guaranteed $2.8million next season.

He could now earn as much as $3.05million based on plate appearances.

General Manager Dan Evans and agent Scott Boras completed a deal that circumvented an arbitration hearing.

“Dan and I worked out some incentives that are very fair for both sides,” Boras said. “Adrian is working out and I’m very encouraged about his progress.”

Beltre, 22, played in 126 games last season after undergoing abdominal surgery twice in two months.

He batted .265 with 13 home runs and 60 runs batted in.

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Free-agent pitchers Chan Ho Park, Terry Adams and James Baldwin must be offered arbitration today or the Dodgers can’t re-sign them until May.

Evans declined comment on his strategy, but sources said the Dodgers plan to offer arbitration to Park because they still hope to sign the top pitcher in the market if the price is right. Moreover, the Dodgers would not receive draft compensation for Park if he signed with another team unless he is offered arbitration.

Adams is not in the club’s plans and it appears Baldwin might not be either.

Although Evans recently said “James makes a lot of sense for us ... and his record was very deceptive,” he has not reached a deal.

Baldwin was 3-6 with a 4.20 earned-run average in 12 starts for the Dodgers. The right-hander was winless in five starts in September, going 0-4 with a 5.23 ERA. He gave up 40 hits in 31 innings and opponents batted .320 against him.

Three baseball executives said there is not much interest in the right-hander, whom Evans acquired from the Chicago White Sox in July.

Baldwin is believed to be seeking a three-year contract for more than $22 million.

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New assistant general manager Kim Ng is expected to play a major role in the reorganized front office.

Ng, who has a strong background in transaction rules and payroll matters, could free Evans to focus on many of the club’s roster and payroll problems.

She handled much of the New York Yankees’ arbitration work while serving as their assistant general manager for four seasons, and also negotiated contracts of players with less than three seasons of major league service.