Rangers-Napoli deal: 1 year for $9.4 million

The Texas Rangers continued a busy week of signings by finalizing a one-year deal with catcher Mike Napoli. 
 


Napoli, who was slated for an arbitration hearing next week, will earn $9.4 million. 
 


Texas had already signed Elvis Andrus and Nelson Cruz, both of whom were also arbitration eligible, to contracts earlier this week. 
The Rangers have not had a player go to an arbitration hearing since Jon Daniels took over as general manager. The last player to go to arbitration with the club was Lee Stevens in 2000.

The $9.4 million is a middle ground for both sides. Napoli was asking for $11.5 million in arbitration and the Rangers were offering $8.3 million. He’s eligible to become a free agent following the 2012 season.

Napoli, who was acquired last January from Toronto for Frankie Francisco, hit .320 in 2011 for Texas and set career highs in home runs (30) and RBI (75).  He took over as the team’s primary catcher late in the season and had the same role in the postseason.