Royals relievers Coleman, Collins to avoid arbitration

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Relief pitchers Louis Coleman and Tim Collins agreed to one-year contracts with the Kansas City Royals on Friday, allowing both of them to avoid arbitration.

Collins agreed at $1,475,000 and Coleman at $725,000.

The 25-year-old Collins, a left-hander, had a 3.86 ERA in 22 appearances with the Royals and earned $1.362,500. He made four appearances in the postseason, including three during the World Series.

Coleman, a 28-year-old right-hander, had a 5.56 ERA in 31 appearances with the Royals and earned $537,000. He has pitched parts of the past four seasons in Kansas City.

Kansas City still has seven players in arbitration without deals, the most of any team. The Royals' group is headed by closer Greg Holland, who asked for a raise from $4,725,000 to $9 million and was offered $6.65 million.

Others with cases pending are pitchers Danny Duffy ($3 million vs. $1.75 million) and Kelvin Herrera ($1.9 million) vs. $1.15 million); first baseman Eric Hosmer ($6.7 million vs. $4.6 million); third baseman Mike Moustakas ($3.1 million vs. $1.85 million); and outfielders Lorenzo Cain ($3.6 million vs. $2 million) and Jarrod Dyson ($1.6 million vs. $900,000).