Former Bruins shortstop Brandon Crawford agrees to $3.175-million contract

Former UCLA shortstop Brandon Crawford and the San Francisco Giants avoided arbitration Tuesday after agreeing to a one-year contract worth more than $3.1 million.

Crawford, who made $560,000 last season, was asking for $3.95 million in his first year of arbitration, but the Giants proposed a $2.4-million counter. The two sides agreed to meet at the midpoint of $3,175,000.

A .242 career hitter with 26 home runs and 178 runs batted in, Crawford had his best offensive season last year. He batted .246 with 20 doubles, 10 triples, 10 home runs and 69 RBIs and helped the Giants win their second World Series in his three seasons as the starting shortstop.

In the World Series, Crawford hit .304 and drove in four runs, including one in the Giants’ title-clinching 3-2 victory in Game 7. He also hit a grand slam in the National League wild-card game to help the Giants defeat the Pirates.

Crawford was drafted by San Francisco in the fourth round of the 2008 amateur draft after being a three-year starter at UCLA. He batted .319 in his UCLA career, including a robust .355 his sophomore season, earning him All-Pac-10 conference honors. The Bruins advanced to the NCAA Regionals in each of his three years.

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