SAN FRANCISCO -- Giants closer Brian Wilson benefited from the spoils of salary arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $4,437,500 deal Saturday.
It represented an astronomical pay increase by any measure for Wilson, who earned a base salary of $480,000 last year. His wage increased by nearly ten-fold.
The sides settled at the midpoint of their respective proposals, a common method of avoiding a hearing. Wilson filed for $4,875,000 while the Giants countered with a $4 million offer.
Wilson, 27, compiled a 5-6 record with a 2.74 ERA -- 1.88 lower than in 2008, when he made the National League All-Star team -- and 38 saves. He has 79 saves in the past two seasons and is 11-13 with a 3.73 ERA and 86 saves in his four-year big league career.
The Giants' accord with Wilson brought them a modicum of cost control. They have committed approximately $78 million to 13 players. San Francisco's payroll limit is currently hovering in the low-$90 million range. The Giants still must settle the franchise's biggest arbitration case in history -- that of right-hander Tim Lincecum. The two-time Cy Young Award winner filed for $13 million; the Giants have offered $8 million.
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