Atlanta and Chris Reitsma have avoided the Arbitration Dating Game; both sides agreed to a one-year, $2.75 million contract yesterday. The contract does include a couple of $25,000 incentives for Chris if he finishes 40 and 45 games.

So does this mean Reitsma will be the Braves' closer in '06? Erm... maybe. Does this mean he should be the closer? Well... I don't know. He's been a bit of an enigma up to this point in his career and it'll be interesting to see how he fares during Spring Training and where he ends up when the season starts. He did save 15 games last year (nine straight, at one point) and was named NL Rolaids Relief Man in July before suffering a hyperextended right leg in August. But he also blew five save chances, giving up three in a row before losing the closer's gig to Kyle "Meathead" Farnsworth.

Setting up or closing, it's a good deal for Atlanta. Chris has a respectable 3.64 career ERA. He doesn't give up a lot of earned runs or walks. His strike-out numbers aren't gaudy, but they are respectable. Plus, the guy will play ball hurt or not, and that's something I don't mind hanging three million bucks on.

Plus, it's not my three million bucks he's getting. Even better.