NORTONnFRIENDS
12-18-2005, 09:59 PM
Garciaparra agrees to one-year deal with Dodgers
ESPN.com news services
The Los Angeles Dodgers are slowly becoming the West Coast version of the Red Sox after Nomar Garciaparra and the team agreed to terms on a one-year contract.
Nomar Garciaparra
Shortstop
Chicago Cubs
Profile
2005 SEASON STATISTICS
GM HR RBI R OBP AVG
62 9 30 28 .320 .283
Garciaparra passed a physical and the Dodgers have called a news conference for Monday at 5 p.m. ET to introduce him. Terms of the contract were not released, but the New York Post reported it has a base salary of $6 million and could be worth as much as $8 million.
Garciaparra will likely play first base for the Dodgers, ESPN's Peter Gammons reported.
The 32-year-old Garciaparra also considered the New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians and Houston Astros before those teams were told by Garciaparra's agent, Arn Tellem, of his choice to join the Dodgers.
Garciaparra spent several hours with Dodgers executives Thursday and Friday -- the first day with Tellem, the second with his wife, former soccer star Mia Hamm. Garciaparra and Hamm live in suburban Manhattan Beach.
Garciaparra could also play the outfield with the Dodgers. He played mostly third base after returning to the Cubs last August. New Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said Garciaparra seemed open to changing positions during his meetings with the player.
Garciaparra was considered one of baseball's best shortstops for several years while playing with the Boston Red Sox and won the AL batting title in 1997. But his playing time was limited during the past two years because of injuries.
He hit .283 with nine homers and 30 RBI in 62 games for the Chicago Cubs last season, when he earned $8.25 million. He tore his left groin running out of the batter's box in St. Louis on April 20 and didn't return until Aug. 5.
Colletti has had a busy December, hiring manager Grady Little and adding three free agents -- shortstop Rafael Furcal, third baseman Bill Mueller and Garciaparra. Mueller also won a batting title while playing for the Red Sox, in 2003.
The Dodgers went 71-91 last season, their second-poorest record since moving from Brooklyn in 1958. The team parted ways with manager Jim Tracy on Oct. 3 -- the day after the season ended -- and fired general manager Paul DePodesta on Oct. 29.
Garciaparra played under Little in 2002-03 with the Red Sox, and was teammates with pitcher Derek Lowe and Mueller in Boston. Lowe signed a four-year contract with the Dodgers last winter.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
ESPN.com news services
The Los Angeles Dodgers are slowly becoming the West Coast version of the Red Sox after Nomar Garciaparra and the team agreed to terms on a one-year contract.
Nomar Garciaparra
Shortstop
Chicago Cubs
Profile
2005 SEASON STATISTICS
GM HR RBI R OBP AVG
62 9 30 28 .320 .283
Garciaparra passed a physical and the Dodgers have called a news conference for Monday at 5 p.m. ET to introduce him. Terms of the contract were not released, but the New York Post reported it has a base salary of $6 million and could be worth as much as $8 million.
Garciaparra will likely play first base for the Dodgers, ESPN's Peter Gammons reported.
The 32-year-old Garciaparra also considered the New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians and Houston Astros before those teams were told by Garciaparra's agent, Arn Tellem, of his choice to join the Dodgers.
Garciaparra spent several hours with Dodgers executives Thursday and Friday -- the first day with Tellem, the second with his wife, former soccer star Mia Hamm. Garciaparra and Hamm live in suburban Manhattan Beach.
Garciaparra could also play the outfield with the Dodgers. He played mostly third base after returning to the Cubs last August. New Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said Garciaparra seemed open to changing positions during his meetings with the player.
Garciaparra was considered one of baseball's best shortstops for several years while playing with the Boston Red Sox and won the AL batting title in 1997. But his playing time was limited during the past two years because of injuries.
He hit .283 with nine homers and 30 RBI in 62 games for the Chicago Cubs last season, when he earned $8.25 million. He tore his left groin running out of the batter's box in St. Louis on April 20 and didn't return until Aug. 5.
Colletti has had a busy December, hiring manager Grady Little and adding three free agents -- shortstop Rafael Furcal, third baseman Bill Mueller and Garciaparra. Mueller also won a batting title while playing for the Red Sox, in 2003.
The Dodgers went 71-91 last season, their second-poorest record since moving from Brooklyn in 1958. The team parted ways with manager Jim Tracy on Oct. 3 -- the day after the season ended -- and fired general manager Paul DePodesta on Oct. 29.
Garciaparra played under Little in 2002-03 with the Red Sox, and was teammates with pitcher Derek Lowe and Mueller in Boston. Lowe signed a four-year contract with the Dodgers last winter.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.