ARLINGTON, TEXAS (TICKER) — Texas Rangers righthander Tim Crabtree, one of the team’s top middle relievers in 1998, today avoided arbitration by agreeing to terms on a two-year contract through the 2000 season.
No financial terms were disclosed, although the deal includes a club option for the 2001 season. Crabtree made $290,000 last year.
Crabtree was acquired by the Rangers last March and had the best season of his four-year career. He was 6-1 with a 3.59 ERA in 64 relief appearances and ranked sixth in the American League with 85 1/3 relief innings, the most by a Ranger since 1987.
The 29-year-old Crabtree established career highs for wins, appearances, innings and strikeouts (60) while ranking second on the team in games. He limited lefthanded batters to a .230 average.
Crabtree originally was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the second round of the 1992 draft and reached the major leagues in 1995. But he was hampered by a shoulder problem during the 1996 season and was limited to just 37 games in 1997 due of surgery on his right elbow.
The Blue Jays gave up on Crabtree following a 1997 campaign in which he went 3-3 with a 7.08 ERA over 40 2/3 innings. He owns a lifetime record of 14-9 with a 3.83 ERA in 175 games.
Pitcher Aaron Sele and infielder Lee Stevens are the only Rangers who remain eligible for arbitration.