Jose Valverde and the Houston Astros chose to avoid salary arbitration as the two sides agreed on a one-year contract for 2009. The one-year deal will pay Valverde $8 million. That is quite a raise from the $4.7 million that he earned in the 2008 season.
Valverde will be a free agent after the 09 season so once again he will be hoping to have a good year in his free agent year.
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