Baker, Cubs Agree To Contract
(WSCR) - The Cubs might not be able to make any big splashes in the free agent market this off-season, but they're expected to make a few minor moves.
The Cubs and infielder Jeff Baker have agreed to terms on a 2011 contract. Baker was to be eligible for salary arbitration. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Baker, 29, batted .272 (56-for-206) with 13 doubles, two triples, four home runs and 21 RBI in 79 games for the Cubs last season. His .350 batting average (49-for-140) vs. left-handed pitching ranked second in the National League (min. 140 at-bats) behind only teammate Marlon Byrd (.357). He is a career .308 hitter vs. left-handed pitching and a .244 hitter vs. right-handed pitching.
The versatile Baker appeared in 33 games (23 starts) at third base, 26 games (20 starts) at second base, four games (four starts) in right field and four games (one start) at first base last season. He batted .326 (28-for-86) after the All-Star Break after posting a .233 mark (28-for-120) prior to the break. Baker batted .333 (6-for-18) as a pinch-hitter in 2010.
Since being acquired from Colorado on July 2, 2009, Baker has batted .289 (118-for-409) with 28 doubles, three triples, eight home runs, 42 RBI, a .344 on-base percentage and .430 slugging percentage in 148 games with the Cubs. He broke into the big leagues with Colorado in 2005 and was a member of their 2007 National League Championship team.
A Chicago Cubs press release contributed to this report
