UPDATED: Big Pay Day Coming For Alexei
The Chicago White Sox have exercised the 2011 club option on the contract of Alexei Ramirez, avoiding arbitration with the Silver Slugger Award-winning shortstop, who had opted out of the final year of the deal he signed on January 22, 2008. Under terms of the contract, Ramirez will earn a base salary of $2.75 million in 2011.
Ramirez, 29, hit .282 (165-585) with 29 doubles, 18 home runs and 70 RBI in 156 games with the Sox last season to become the first shortstop in White Sox history to win the Silver Slugger Award. He led all AL shortstops in average, slugging percentage (.431), home runs and total bases (252), ranked second in RBI, third in hits and tied for third in doubles.
Ramirez was named the shortstop on The Sporting News AL All-Star Team, joining Luis Aparicio (1968, '70) and Luke Appling (1936, '40 and '43) as the only three White Sox shortstops to garner the honor.
In three seasons with the Sox, the native of Pinar del Rio, Cuba has hit .283 (454-1,607) with 54 home runs and 215 RBI.
A White Sox press release contributed to this article
Updated on December 2, 2010 at 1:12PM
As many expected, Alexei Ramirez opted out of his $1.1 million player option for the 2011 season. Ramirez didn't do this to become a free-agent, the White Sox still have a club option on Ramirez through the 2013 season. This move just guarantees a bigger salary for Ramirez moving forward.
Ramirez will either earn the $2.75 million club option or enter his first year of arbitration. An arbitration hearing could potentially award Ramirez with much more than the amount of the club option.
Ramirez ranked first among AL shortstops in batting average (.282), slugging percentage (.431) and home runs.
Originally posted on December 2, 2010 at 8:32AM
