Hamilton gets a $3 million signing bonus, a $7.25 million salary this year, and $13.75 million in 2012.
Hamilton hit a major league-leading .359 last season with 32 homers and 100 RBIs despite missing most of September with broken ribs. Hamilton, a former No. 1 overall pick whose career was derailed by well-documented cocaine and alcohol addictions, made $3.25 million in 2010, leading the Rangers to their first World Series.
“We want to be a part of this organization, not only for the next couple of years, but for a long time to come,’’ Hamilton said.
General manager Jon Daniels said he hopes the deal is indicative of a “longer relationship’’ that will include another multiyear agreement in the future.
Daniels said his focus was still on trying to accommodate Michael Young’s trade request. He said if a deal was going to be made it would “most likely’’ be done before the first full-squad workout Feb. 20.
Bonds charges reduced Federal prosecutors have cut the number of felony charges Barry Bonds faces from 11 to five.
In a court filing, prosecutors filed their third revised indictment against Bonds, who is scheduled to stand trial March 21. In the new indictment, they reduced from nine to three the number of charges alleging Bonds lied under oath when he testified that he never knowingly took performance-enhancing drugs.
Bonds is still charged with perjury for telling the grand jury that no one other than his doctor ever stuck a needle in his body and a catch-all charge that he obstructed the grand jury’s investigation into sports doping with his allegedly misleading testimony.
Weaver bumped to $7.3m The Angels defeated All-Star Jered Weaver in salary arbitration. The righthander will get a raise from $4,265,000 to $7,365,000 instead of his request for $8.8 million. Weaver was 13-12 last season and led the major leagues with 233 strikeouts . . . Outfielder Luke Scott and the Orioles avoided salary arbitration by agreeing to a $6.4 million, one-year contract . . . The Brewers and righthander Shaun Marcum agreed to a $3.95 million, one-year contract late Wednesday night to preempt a scheduled salary arbitration hearing.
