<div id="subtitle">Jeff Mathis beats Angels in salary arbitration; Sean Burnett loses to Nationals</div><div><p>Catcher Jeff Mathis defeated the Los Angeles Angels in salary arbitration and reliever Sean Burnett lost to the Washington Nationals.</p><p>Mathis was given a raise from $450,000 to $1.3 million on Friday by arbitrators Elliott Shiftman, Steven Wolf and Margaret Brogan, who heard the case a day earlier in St. Petersburg, Fla. The Angels had argued that he should be paid $700,000.</p><p>Mathis, who shares the Angels' catching job in a platoon with Mike Napoli, hit .211 with five homers and 28 RBIs in 237 at-bats last year. His 11th-inning double beat the New York Yankees in Game 3 of the AL championship series.</p><p>Burnett was awarded $775,000 by arbitrators Robert Bailey, Robert Herzog and Fredric Horowitz rather than his request for a raise from $408,500 to $925,000. Washington improved to 2-0 in arbitration this year.</p><p>Acquired from Pittsburgh with Nyjer Morgan on June 30 for Joel Hanrahan and Lastings Milledge, the 28-year-old lefty was 2-3 with a 3.12 ERA and one save in 71 relief appearances last season.</p><p>Owners lead players 4-3 with one case left to be decided. Shortstop Ryan Theriot on Friday asked arbitrators John Kagel, Brogan and Shriftman for a raise from $500,000 to $3.4 million, while the Chicago Cubs said he should be paid $2.6 million. The 30-year-old hit .284 last year with seven homers, 54 RBIs and 21 steals in 30 tries.</p><p>This was the Cubs' first hearing since first baseman Mark Grace lost in 1993 and was awarded $3.1 million rather than his request for $4.1 million.</p><p>Milwaukee outfielder Corey Hart ($4.8 million) and Florida outfielder Cody Ross ($4.45 million) also won their cases this year, while Tampa Bay outfielder B.J. Upton ($3 million) and Washington reliever Brian Bruney ($1.5 million) also lost.</p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=69724263&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>
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