Posey, Pence among Giants to avoid arbitration

The San Francisco Giants avoided arbitration with National League MVP Buster Posey,

outfielders Hunter Pence and Gregor Blanco and pitcher Jose Miljares on Friday.

All four players reached agreements on one-year contracts.

Posey, the NL batting champion and All-Star catcher, will make $8 million in 2012. Pence

will receive $13.8 million, Miljares $1.8 million and Blanco $1.3 million.

Posey batted .336 and had 24 home runs and 103 RBI for the World Series champions.

Pence gets a big raise from the $10.4 million he made last year, when he batted .253 in

160 regular-season games with 24 home runs and 104 RBI for the Philadelphia Phillies and

Giants.

Miljares, 28, pitched for Kansas City and the Giants last season, posting a 3-2 record

with a 2.56 ERA in 56 innings as a reliever. The left-hander is expected to pitch in middle

relief for the Giants this season.