Ellsbury, Papelbon Settle Before Arbitration

The Red Sox reached agreement on 2011 contracts with Jacoby Ellsbury ($2.4 million) and Jonathan Papelbon ($12 million), before the team and players exchanged salary arbitration figures.

This was the first year Ellsbury was eligible for arbitration. In addition to his salary -- a boost from $496,000 last year -- there are possible bonuses of $50,000 for 600 and 700 plate appearances. (In 2008 and 2009, Ellsbury had 609 and 691 PAs, respectively.)

For Papelbon, it was his third season of eligibility, and he will be a free agent after this season. Bot made $9.35 million last year.

Papelbon is pleased with the work the front office has done this winter.

I'm so excited. The offseason acquisitions we've made have been above and beyond my expectations, for sure. ... If everybody goes out there and stays healthy, we definitely should have a title-contending team this year, for sure. ... I was able to gain tons of valuable information from last year and take it into my offseason this year and use it to better myself. ... [S]tay confident and know that my ability is still there.

Papelbon was in Boston last weekend, attending the wedding of one of Terry Francona's daughters.

It was a long, sit-down dinner, the wedding, really amazing. ... I didn't think he had it in him to put together this good of a wedding. The bride pays for the wedding, and I was thinking Tito might go the cheap way out.