The Seattle Mariners already are making good on a promise to improve the American League's most anemic offense.
Adrian Beltre signed a US$64 million, five-year contract with the Mariners on Friday, joining Seattle two days after another free agent slugger, Richie Sexson, agreed to a four-year, US$50 million deal.
PHOTO: AP
Seattle finished a distant last in the American League West this past season, going 63-99 for its worst record since 1983. The Mariners were last in the league with only 136 homers and 698 runs.
PHOTO: EPA
"Actions speak louder than words," team chairman Howard Lincoln said. "We've just demonstrated that we were dead serious about turning things around as quickly as possible. I don't think there was any hesitation to make these large financial commitments."
Beltre passed a physical, the final step before completing the deal. The third baseman said it was tough to leave the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he spent the first seven years of his career, but felt Seattle was a better fit for his family.
"It's a great opportunity," Beltre said. "It's a great baseball city and a great organization. They're going to have a great team. They want to be competitive here sooner rather than later."
The 25-year-old Beltre led the majors last season with 48 homers for the Dodgers. He hit .334 with 121 RBIs, finished second to Barry Bonds in the NL MVP voting and also improved on defense by committing only 10 errors.
He is one of 36 players in baseball history with 100 home runs before turning 25. He hit No. 100 on April 6, joining Cal Ripken Jr. and Lou Gehrig as the three players with exactly 100 homers on their 25th birthday.
Beltre said Boston made him an offer but urged him to decide quickly, then signed Edgar Renteria. The Dodgers also tried to keep him, but Beltre rejected a guaranteed sixth year because he wants to be a free agent again at age 30.
"He turned down a great deal of guaranteed money to come to Seattle," agent Scott Boras said.
Beltre said he isn't concerned about switching to the American League. He doesn't worry his numbers could drop at Safeco Field, pointing out he's already been playing in a pitcher's ballpark at Dodger Stadium.
"We've played in some American League parks," Beltre said. "I didn't really keep stats on it, but I don't really think it will be hard to adjust."
Seattle also spoke with Carlos Delgado, but that would have required Sexson to move from first base to left field.
Beltre made US$5 million last season, and figured to cash in after a career year in which he led the Dodgers to the NL West division title and their first postseason spot since 1988.
He became a free agent after the season, filing on the same day he had arthroscopic surgery to remove two large bone spurs from his left ankle.
The New York Yankees, Arizona and Los Angeles spent Friday trying to put the finishing touches on the megadeal that would move All-Stars Randy Johnson, Shawn Green and Javier Vazquez.
A day after the three teams quickly put the major players in place, the clubs worked to resolve the issues still holding up the trade -- money, mostly.
Even if there is an agreement to put Johnson in a Yankee pinstripes uniform, New York plans to ask for a 72-hour window to negotiate a contract extension with the Big Unit before completing the swap, a baseball source told AP on the condition of anonymity.
The Yankees were willing to send Vazquez and top prospects Dioner Navarro and Eric Duncan to Los Angeles as a way to get Johnson. Los Angeles would deal Green and pitchers Brad Penny and Yhency Brazoban to the Diamondbacks.
``We're at the point where we've decided the best thing we can do is have no comment,'' Diamondbacks managing partner Ken Kendrick said.
Johnson and Green both have no-trade clauses. While Johnson wants to play for the Yankees, Green may want to stay close to home in Southern California.
"I think Shawn always envisioned finishing his career with the Dodgers," agent Greg Genske said. "But if a trade is put in place, he's going to consider all of his options."
At 41, Johnson is owed US$16 million in the last year of his contract. The five-time Cy Young winner has long caught the eye of Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, who spent the afternoon meeting with top club officials at Legends Field, their spring training home.
Green also is set to make US$16 million, a year after slumping to .266 with 28 home runs and 86 RBIs. The Diamondbacks might be in good position to lure the 31-year-old outfielder to the desert -- his former agent, Jeff Moorad, is Arizona's new chief executive officer.
The Dodgers had a couple of things to clear up, too.
After losing free agents Adrian Beltre and Steve Finley, Los Angeles may be reluctant to trade away its lone remaining power hitter.
Plus, there's a money matter: Vazquez is due US$35.5 million over the next three years, the Dodgers might want the Yankees to pick up some of that cost, perhaps so much that the deal would need approval from the commissioner's office.
And, what would be baseball's biggest deal of the winter could get even larger. There was speculation the St. Louis Cardinals might want to become a part of this trade.
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