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Webb: D-backs likely to pick up option

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By Steve Gilbert / MLB.com

10/16/09 6:13 PM ET

PHOENIX -- Brandon Webb had two meetings this week that were important for his future.

The D-backs right-hander checked in with surgeon Keith Meister, who evaluated Webb's progress since his August shoulder surgery, and sat down with D-backs GM Josh Byrnes regarding his 2010 contract option.

Webb and one of his agents, Mike Montana, met for around 30 minutes with Byrnes and assistant Peter Woodfork at Chase Field on Wednesday. The main topic of discussion was the option the team holds for the 2010 season.

Arizona has until five days after the World Series to either pick up the $8.5 million option for next year or pay Webb a $2 million buyout, which would make the right-hander a free agent.

"Basically, Josh said they had every intention of picking the option up barring something crazy happening," Webb told MLB.com on Friday. "They told me they would probably take it down to the end before officially doing it. I understand where they are coming from with that. Sure I'd like to know now, but it makes sense for them. It was a good meeting. I felt good about it and I think they did too."

There has been speculation that the D-backs would try to spread the risk of Webb's contract over two years by offering him the potential to earn more money in 2010 depending on his health and adding an option for 2011. That topic did come up, but only briefly.

"They wanted to talk about other possibilities, but I told them I wanted to deal with the option for next year," he said. "There may have been an opportunity to make a few more million next year if we reworked things and added an option for 2011, but for me right now I just want to focus on getting healthy and pitching next year and just have the contract thing set. They seemed fine with it."

Webb, who won the National League Cy Young Award in 2006 and finished second in the voting in '07 and '08, started on Opening Day this year for the D-backs, but that was his lone appearance of the season as he battled right shoulder issues that eventually required a debridement procedure in August.

"We had a constructive meeting," Byrnes said. "We discussed our intentions and addressed various contractual scenarios moving forward."

While Webb was not interested in renegotiating his contract for 2010, he reiterated that he would like to stay in Arizona.

"I know depending on how the team is doing and how I am doing I could be a guy that could be traded during the year next year," Webb said. "I understand how that works. I just wanted to let them know that I want to stay here, I want to be here, I enjoy it here."

The D-backs will not get to see Webb throw before making their decision on the option because the right-hander will not be cleared to begin playing catch until around Nov. 15.

The plan, Webb said, is to play catch from about 60 feet four or five times before shutting it down for the winter.

Webb said he began to feel more confident about his recovery on Oct. 6. It was that day when he began to notice a difference in the shoulder.

"It was like a switch was turned," he said. "It felt a whole lot better. It felt fine before, but I could feel a little something in there, but now there is nothing."

Speaking of Meister, Webb saw him last Saturday while Meister was in Phoenix on other business.

"He was very encouraged and happy with the strength that I had in the shoulder," Webb said. "I didn't really have any issues and he couldn't have been more positive."

Steve Gilbert is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.