Washington Nationals And Roger Bernadina Avoid Arbitration: Shark Signs For 1-Year/$1.2125M

Roger "The Shark" Bernadina ascended to cult-favorite status in the nation's capital in 2012. By the end of the year, packed houses in Nationals Park were [CHOMP!]-ing down with their arms whenever the 28-year-old outfielder stepped to the plate. Bernadina, a five-year major league veteran avoided arbitration today, according to a report by the Washington Post's James Wagner, agreeing on a 1-year/$1.2125M dollar deal that gives the one-time Montreal Expos' prospect a significant raise over the $493,500 he earned in 2012 while posting a .291/.372/.405 line with 11 doubles and five home runs in 129 games and 261 plate appearances for the NL East Champion Nationals over which he was worth a career-best +1.9 fWAR as a backup/4th outfielder.

Over five seasons in the nation's capital, Bernadina has a .272/.343/.408 line after the 2012 campaign, but the last season was his best at the major league level with the human highlight reel of a defender garnering national attention with a series of remarkable catches that were all over the tv and internet, increasing the exposure of the soft-spoken Curacao-born National. Perhaps the best catch of all by Bernadina last season was the game-saving leaping grab he made in Houston's Minute Maid Park:

The deal with Bernadina gives the Nationals deals with four of their seven arbitration-eligible players following the announcements of agreements already in the last two days with Drew Storen, Ross Detwiler and Craig Stammen. That leaves Ian Desmond, Jordan Zimmermann and Tyler Clippard as the only arbitration-eligible Nationals who remain unsigned. As noted in previous reports, Storen signed for 1-year/$2.5M. Detwiler agreed to a 1-year/$2.3375M dollar deal and Stammen has reportedly agreed on a 2-year/$2.25M dollar deal:

Craig Stammen's two-year deal is worth $2.25 million total, source says.

' Adam Kilgore (@AdamKilgoreWP) January 18, 2013

Still no announcements on the three remaining arbitration-eligible players though the reports are coming out quickly this afternoon. More updates likely to follow...