WASHINGTON (AP) -While carrying on negotiations with third baseman Ryan Zimmerman and two players in arbitration, the Washington Nationals agreed Friday to one-year contracts with outfielder Elijah Dukes and starters Shawn Hill, Jason Bergmann and Matt Chico.
Also agreeing to one-year deals were catcher Jesus Flores, pitchers Saul Rivera, Joel Hanrahan, Tyler Clippard and Enrique Gonzalez, and outfielders Justin Maxwell, Roger Bernadina and Garrett Guzman.
Zimmerman batted .266 last season and led the team with 24 homers and 91 RBIs. The third baseman won’t be eligible for free agency until after the 2011 season.
During spring training a year ago, general manager Jim Bowden said the Nationals “will continue to work with Ryan and his representatives to secure a long-term contract long before his free agency.”
Zimmerman, on course to be eligible for arbitration after the coming season, is one of only three players on Washington’s 40-man roster without a contract.
The others are infielder Felipe Lopez and reliever Jon Rauch, and the team said Friday it is negotiating with them. Rauch’s arbitration hearing is set for Feb. 6, and Lopez’s is Feb. 13, both in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Rauch asked for a raise from $455,000 to $1.4 million, while the Nationals submitted an arbitration figure of $1.1 million. Lopez asked for a raise from $3.9 million to $5.2 million, and the Nationals offered $4.9 million.
The Nationals also announced Friday they promoted John Dever to senior director of baseball media relations and hired Mike Gazda as director of baseball media relations. Gazda previously worked for the Florida Marlins.
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