Brewers general manager Doug Melvin and shortstop J.J. Hardy don't have anything against Florida. They just didn't want to travel there this weekend.
Now, that won't be necessary.
Sidestepping an arbitration hearing slated for Monday in St. Petersburg, the Brewers and Hardy agreed to terms on a one-year deal Friday afternoon.
Financial terms were not disclosed, but it's likely the agreement fell somewhere close to $2.725 million, which was the midpoint between Hardy's arbitration request ($3.05 million) and the Brewers' offer ($2.4 million).
Melvin has not gone to an arbitration hearing since joining the Brewers in the fall 2002.
Hardy, 25, played 151 games last season and hit .277 with 30 doubles, 26 homers and 80 RBI. He was named to the National League all-star team.
Host of “The Drew Olson Show,” which airs 1-3 p.m. weekdays on The Big 902. Sidekick on “The Mike Heller Show,” airing weekdays on The Big 920 and a statewide network including stations in Madison, Appleton and Wausau. Co-author of Bill Schroeder’s “If These Walls Could Talk: Milwaukee Brewers” on Triumph Books. Co-host of “Big 12 Sports Saturday,” which airs Saturdays during football season on WISN-12. Former senior editor at OnMilwaukee.com. Former reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
