02/10/2003 5:40 pm ET

Expos, El Duque avoid arbitration

By Bill Ladson / MLB.com

 

 

 

 

Orlando Hernandez was on the disabled list three times in the last two years because of back and shoulder injuries. (Chris O'Meara/AP)

 

 

 

The Montreal Expos signed right-handed starter Orlando Hernandez to a one-year deal worth a reported $4.1 million on Monday, thus avoiding a salary arbitration hearing that was scheduled for Feb. 13.

The 33-year-old El Duque was part of a three-way deal that sent pitcher Bartolo Colon to the White Sox on Jan. 15. Hernandez was 8-5 with 3.64 ERA with the Yankees. But he was on the disabled list three times in the last two years because of back and shoulder injuries.

 

In addition to going 53-38 with a 4.04 ERA during the regular season, he is one of the best postseason pitchers in recent history, winning nine games and having an ERA under 2.50.

 

The signing of Hernandez leaves only pitcher Javier Vazquez eligible for salary arbitration. Vazquez's hearing is scheduled for Feb. 17. He is looking to make $7,150,000, while the Expos are offering $6 million.

 

Bill Ladson is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

When I first read the Colon deal's headline " White Sox land Colon", I was too excited and my vision blurred. I couldn't read it thoroughly, so for half an hour I thought we ended up with El Duque as well. I was ecstaic for that half hour.

what i want to know is how the spos are going to come up with 7 mil for vasquez???? espically after giving duque 4 mil....werent they supposed to be cutting payroll?????????

does anyone believe that he is 33?

43 maybe.

I'd say somewhere in the middle....36-38....something like that.

 

Put it this way....he's probably old enough to be my dad.

I'd say somewhere in the middle....36-38....something like that.

 

Put it this way....he's probably old enough to be my dad.

yikes !!!!!!!! im older than that so would that make me your mom?????????

I guess so.

 

It's a good thing I'm not like 25 or 26 and me saying this....lol

I'd say somewhere in the middle....36-38....something like that.

 

Put it this way....he's probably old enough to be my dad.

yikes !!!!!!!! im older than that so would that make me your mom?????????

Well, I don't think he's 59 or so, so he ain't old enough to be my dad...Then again, you never know

ouch jas.... that hurt.......59? geez thats not old ya know.........im part way there now as it is.........but ya know something i can still like a hurricane.........

ouch jas.... that hurt.......59? geez thats not old ya know.........im part way there now as it is.........but ya know something i can still    like a hurricane.........

Well, I always rip my dad for that. Seriously though, he's old to have a 19 year old kid, but its all good. He loves that senior citizen discount

oh hell i foregot about that one.. i wonder if they are going to give me a senior discount on my season tickets when the time is right.......dang one more thing to look foward to.....whoo hoo.......

what i want to know is how the spos are going to come up with 7 mil for vasquez???? espically after giving duque 4 mil....werent they supposed to be cutting payroll?????????

'Spos got 4 mil in cash in the Colon deal.

ok so wheres the 7 mil going to come to keep vasquez???? they are still about 9 or so mil over their budget as of yet...........

ok so wheres the 7 mil going to come to keep vasquez???? they are still about 9 or so mil over their budget as of yet...........

Maybe there dealing crack or some s*** like that on the side.

vaszquez wants 7.1 million..the spos offered 6 and they couldnt come to some kind of agreement???...like splitting the difference???...gheezzz..great example of whats wrong with baseball...

vaszquez wants 7.1 million..the spos offered 6 and they couldnt come to some kind of agreement???...like splitting the difference???...gheezzz..great example of whats wrong with baseball...

I'm with you Baggs, thats like no difference. Then again, I wouldn't want to agree to any contract if I was in Montreal. I'd be sick of losing and playing in front of no one, so it could be about more then money.

 

Geeze, what am I thinking

vaszquez wants 7.1 million..the spos offered 6 and they couldnt come to some kind of agreement???...like splitting the difference???...gheezzz..great example of whats wrong with baseball...

The Expos have a mandated (Bud)get that they have to meet. If they give Vazquez that extra $500K, they'd have to dump it somewhere else. The Spos are not in a position to just split the difference.