Dodgers add Andruw Jones

IE

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Free-agent center fielder agrees to two-year deal worth $36.2 million, filling a big need in the middle of the order.


The Dodgers agreed to terms with free-agent center fielder Andruw Jones on a two-year guaranteed contract worth $36.2 million on Wednesday evening, according to multiple baseball sources. The deal is pending a physical.

By acquiring Jones on the night before the winter meetings end, the Dodgers filled two of their off-season needs -- a middle-of-the-order bat and a defensive upgrade in center field.

Jones, 30, hit 26 home runs and drove in 94 runs last season for the Atlanta Braves. He hit at least 25 home runs and won a Gold Glove for the 10th consecutive season.The Dodgers are expected to move weak-armed Juan Pierre to left field, leaving Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier for right. The surplus of outfielders could make either Kemp or Ethier expendable and the Dodgers are believed to have been asked for Kemp in trade discussions for several available pitchers, including left-hander Erik Bedard of the Baltimore Orioles.

An official for the Oakland Athletics said earlier in the day that the Dodgers weren't considered a viable trade partner for right-handers Dan Haren or Joe Blanton, but the potential availability of Kemp could change that.

Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti said Wednesday the team needs to acquire a starting pitcher this winter.

At the start of the off-season, Jones' agent, Scott Boras, signaled he expected Jones could get a five-year contract worth $100 million.

But no team appeared to come close to such an offer, amid concerns over a .222 batting average that was 41 points below his career average and questions about his long-term conditioning. The two-year deal provides Jones the chance to re-establish his value and re-enter the free-agent market at age 32. Jones is believed to like the idea of hitting behind fleet-footed Rafael Furcal and Juan Pierre, which could allow him to drive in more runs.

The Dodgers get the benefit of financial flexibility via a short-term commitment.

Boras said in an e-mail message earlier Wednesday that he and his client would entertain an offer for a shorter contract than they were initially seeking, so long as it came from "a competitive team."

Boras said he considered every team in the National League West fit that criteria.

The San Francisco Giants were interested in Jones, but not at an $18-million price tag. The Kansas City Royals also had interest. The Chicago White Sox were looking for a center fielder, but Jones wasn't on their radar.

Colletti and Boras had to this point disagreed on the length of a potential deal, with the Dodgers looking for a contract for two or three years and Boras asking for five.

Jones' average annual salary of $18.1 million is the highest ever awarded by the Dodgers and is fifth-highest in major league history. Only Roger Clemens ($28-million average), Alex Rodriguez ($25.2 million), Manny Ramirez ($20 million) and Derek Jeter ($18.9 million) have been paid more per season.

Jones will receive a $12-million signing bonus. He will earn $9 million in the upcoming season and $15 million in 2009.

Jones is in his native Curacao and is expected to undergo a physical in the next week or so.

Chan Ho Park will be a non-roster invitee to the Dodgers' spring training camp. Park's agent, Jeff Borris, said the split-contract deal will be announced today after the Rule 5 draft. . . . Dodgers Manager Joe Torre underwent knee-replacement surgery Wednesday. . . . Colletti said he had no intention of handing a large contract to a middle reliever. Reliever Jonathan Meloan could get a shot at a place in the starting rotation in spring training.
 

LetsMakeMoney

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_40018018_andruw_jones203x270.jpg
 

BUCSnotYUCKS

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Being a HUGE Braves fan, and following this organization for the last 15 years,(yes, I've been a fan since I was just a little boy), I can say that there's no player I've ever been more disapointed in.

Andruw has let himself go. He was once the complete 5 tool player. Now he's allowed himself to blowup and IMO get out of shape. He was always hitting around 270-280 and mid 300 obp. He's a terrible off speed hitter. The Braves will truely be better without him. It really hurts me to say it because of my loyalty to the players who have been here a long time, but it's sadly true.

Andruw Jones is always gonna be a great CF. I can only hope, and I really mean it, that the change of venues gives him some more drive to become a more disciplined player.

I can honestly say that Andruw SINGLE HANDEDLY, lost the Braves 8-10 games last year.
 
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AR182

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definitely agree that the dodgers over paid for jones...but i read that they may use their outfield surplus on a major trade....
 
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Keyser Soze

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Andruw Jones = 5th highest paid player?

:mj07: :mj07: :mj07: :mj07: :mj07::142smilie :142smilie :142smilie :142smilie :142smilie
 

JT

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Well if it is a major trade hopefully it's Bedard or Santana. Those two I would give up Kemp for. Haren perhaps. Not Blanton or Willis.
 

shawn555

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Well if it is a major trade hopefully it's Bedard or Santana. Those two I would give up Kemp for. Haren perhaps. Not Blanton or Willis.



Being an orioles fan, I have been trying to figure out who we should get for Bedard.

We are trying to get four players from you for bedard. Would you do Kershaw, Ethier, Meloan and Xavier Paul for Bedard?

How about Kemp, Elbert, Meloan and Hu.

The orioles first offer was bedard for kershaw laroche and kemp, and we were laughed at, and rightfully so.

I really thing bedard goes to dodgers or mariners.
 

THE KOD

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The Braves should have traded Jones five years ago when they might have gotten something for him.

I too have watched his carreer with the Braves. He not only never lived up to his billing , but he
always seemed to do just good enough over the years. A Jones will be a huge dissapointment and he will not really care much that he is, was, or has been.

36 million :142smilie :142smilie

its fawking amazing how overvalued baseball players salarys are these days.

3 million a year for two years is too much for this guy. Usually the Dodgers do not get into situations like that.
 
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THE KOD

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But the personal characteristic that's hurting Bonds even more is his bull-headedness. Last Friday he tried to hire John Keker, the top trial attorney in San Francisco and arguably the top criminal defense attorney in the country, who charges $900 an hour. Keker was being offered a dream case, but he turned it down, reportedly because Bonds, who is not exactly a pauper, wanted Keker to render his services at a major discount ? and then to submit his legal bills to another law firm for review. Keker obviously figured he needed that like he needed a hole in the head.

So now it's up to Ruby, who does his own research and writing and has a folksy affect in front of a jury. He, too, is considered one of the top trial attorneys in the Bay Area. Like him, his father was also a pro wrestler.

Ruby will be aided by Cristina Arguedas, another first-rate trial attorney known for extremely aggressive cross-examination. I'll bet her number one assignment in the case will be to cross-examine the living daylights out of Kimberly Bell, Bonds' ex-girlfriend, who in 2005 told a grand jury investigating the BALCO steroids case that in 2000, Bonds told her he was using steroids, specifically in a non-injectable form, which is what prosecutors allege he did.

Bell will be the star witness against Bonds. Apart from Bonds' trainer, Greg Anderson, who spent months in jail rather than testify against him, Bell appears to be the only person who can testify not merely that Bonds used steroids, but that he knew he was using steroids.

Ruby and Arguedas (with Rains, who is still in the picture) will also have to get up to speed on the "mountain of evidence" that the government seized from the BALCO lab, including what appear to be doping calendars with the initials BLB on them (Bonds' middle name is Lamar) and tests administered through BALCO that the government claims show Bonds used steroids.
.............................................................

Bonds thought 900 bucks a hour was too much to pay a lawyer for keeping his ass out of prison.:142smilie

Maybe Bonds can get A Jones to cut him a check to cover a top notch lawyer fees. I am sure Barry would think Jones owes him that much.:SIB
 

BUCSnotYUCKS

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The Braves should have traded Jones five years ago when they might have gotten something for him.

I too have watched his carreer with the Braves. He not only never lived up to his billing , but he
always seemed to do just good enough over the years. A Jones will be a huge dissapointment and he will not really care much that he is, was, or has been.

36 million :142smilie :142smilie

its fawking amazing how overvalued baseball players salarys are these days.

3 million a year for two years is too much for this guy. Usually the Dodgers do not get into situations like that.


There have been years where he put up #'s. Just 3years ago he put up MVP type numbers when we desperately needed it because Chipper was basically hurt all year on and off. I loved watching Andruw come up through the organization, but only the 2 years where you could see his mentality change is where it hurt you to see the kid go like that. Bobby Cox and him had their exchanges, and Andruw should know when Bobby's after yah, you know it's time to change; Bobby's always right!
 

Pecs

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Colletti?

Colletti?

I first thought this guy was going to change the Dodger personel so we would have some kind of identity but he seems no better than the other bozo GM's. I quit being a loyal Dodger fan and season ticket holder after this RE buffoon bought the Dodger for land value.

But after what Colletti did in SF I thought there was hope but noooooooooooooo....

He pays 18 million for a fat 30 year who batted 220? You don't have a off year and expect that idiot to comeback to his primo years. It is all downhill for this guy and another disappointing season for the Dodgers.

Torre is no miracle worker. He has no leadership in the clubhouse or any players the younger guys can lookup to. Just look at end of last year with all the friction of young and old guys.

Pitiiful Dodgers......GO ANGELS
 
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