Left-hander Paul Maholm has avoided an arbitration hearing by reaching a preliminary agreement on a $14.5 million, three-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates, who also finalized a one-year deal with free-agent utilityman Eric Hinske worth about $1.5 million.
Maholm’s contract locks him up through his remaining arbitration years and includes a club option for 2012. He was the most effective starter on a 95-loss Pirates team last season, going 9-9 with a 3.71 ERA in 31 starts.
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