Brandon Belt, Giants exchange salary arbitration figures

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Saturday, February 20, 2016

SAN FRANCISCO -- First baseman Brandon Belt has asked for a $7.5 million salary for the 2016 season from the San Francisco Giants, who are offering $5.3 million.

The salary arbitration numbers were exchanged Friday. While Giants general manager Bobby Evans has regularly brought up the idea this offseason of a possible multiyear deal for Belt, nothing has been done yet.

Belt traveled to Florida in February 2014 for an arbitration hearing that was avoided when the sides settled just beforehand to avoid the team's first hearing since catcher A.J. Pierzynski in 2004.

In 2014, Belt returned from concussions to help lead the Giants to their third World Series in five years. The 27-year-old batted .280 with 18 home runs and 68 RBI in 2015 as the Giants missed the playoffs.

Also, reliever George Kontos asked for $1.35 million and the Giants offered $850,000.