The Astros avoided arbitration with righthander Brandon Backe, signing the veteran to a one-year contract worth $1.55 million for 2009 and an additional $1,075,000 in incentives. Backe, 30, went 9-14 with a 6.05 ERA and allowed a major league-high 36 home runs in 31 starts last year. He nearly doubled his base salary of $800,000 earned last year.