Left-hander Paul Maholm avoided an arbitration hearing by agreeing Friday to a $14.5 million, three-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates, who also finalized a $1.5 million, one-year deal with free-agent utilityman Eric Hinske.

Maholm's agreement locks him up through his remaining arbitration years and includes a club option for 2012. He was the most effective starter on a 95-loss Pirates team last season, going 9-9 with a 3.71 ERA in 31 starts.

Hinske replaces the unsigned Doug Mientkiewicz as the Pirates' top player off the bench, although Mientkiewicz hit .277 last season and was a fan favorite in Pittsburgh.

The 31-year-old Hinske figures to gives the Pirates more power than Mientkiewicz, who homered twice in 285 at-bats last season.

The left-handed hitting Hinske can play first base, third base, left field and right field, although the majority of his playing time has been at third base.