LoKyBuckeye
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Delgado chooses Marlins
BY JON HEYMAN
NEWSDAY STAFF WRITER
January 25, 2005, 5:41 PM EST
Carlos Delgado has agreed in principle to a four-year deal with the Florida Marlins worth $52 million, Newsday has learned.
The Mets also offered the Delgado a four-year, $52 million deal but Delgado chose the 2003 World Champion Marlins over them and the Baltimore Orioles.
The agreement was confirmed by a team official who spoke on condition of anonymity. It's expected to become official Thursday after Delgado, 32, undergoes a physical and the sides agree to contract language.
Delgado, who hit at least 30 homers each of the past eight seasons in Toronto, earned $19.7 million last season.
Under the terms of this deal under discussion earlier in the day, Delgado would get just $4 million this year, another baseball official told The Associated Press, also on condition of anonymity.
Delgado would get $13.5 million in 2006, $14.5 million in 2007 and $16 million in 2008, and the deal would include a $16 million option for 2009 that would become guaranteed based on how Delgado does in MVP voting and whether he earns postseason MVP awards.
Delgado would need to accumulate 30 points in the next four years for the fifth year to kick in. He would get 10 points for winning the NL MVP award and nine for finishing second and so on under a formula that gives him one point for finishing 10th. He would get 20 points if he's the World Series MVP and 10 if he's the league championship series MVP.
If the option doesn't become guaranteed, Florida would have the right to exercise a $12 million option. If the option is declined, Delgado would get a $4 million buyout.
David Sloane, Delgado's agent, did not seem to be very fond of the Mets. The agent dumped them Sunday night without the courtesy of a phone call, and despite the club's offseason makeover, Sloane said in an e-mail exchange that the Mets have no better shot at making the playoffs than the Orioles -- a team that shares a division with the Yankees and Red Sox.
The Mets already are talking again about Sammy Sosa, whom Minaya has wanted since the day he was named GM in September, and they have been looking into the health of rehabbing outfielder Magglio Ordoñez.
The Sosa deal is complicated and there will be competition for Ordoñez. The Orioles, now having lost out on Delgado, are expected to become involved in the talks for Ordoñez along with the Tigers, Cubs and Rangers.
The Mets also would have to clear an outfield spot if they signed Ordoñez, trading either Mike Cameron or Cliff Floyd, and then would need someone to play first base. Free agents John Olerud and Travis Lee are likely candidates, and Boston's Doug Mientkiewicz is available via trade.
The Mets figured Delgado would cost about the same as pairing Ordoñez with a first baseman, and that's why jumped up from last Thursday's three-year offer of $33 million.
Delgado, a left-handed hitter, spent all 12 previous major-league seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays. He's a career .282 hitter with 336 home runs and 1,058 RBIs. His .269 average in 2004 was his lowest since batting .262 in 1997.
Staff writer David Lennon and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
BY JON HEYMAN
NEWSDAY STAFF WRITER
January 25, 2005, 5:41 PM EST
Carlos Delgado has agreed in principle to a four-year deal with the Florida Marlins worth $52 million, Newsday has learned.
The Mets also offered the Delgado a four-year, $52 million deal but Delgado chose the 2003 World Champion Marlins over them and the Baltimore Orioles.
The agreement was confirmed by a team official who spoke on condition of anonymity. It's expected to become official Thursday after Delgado, 32, undergoes a physical and the sides agree to contract language.
Delgado, who hit at least 30 homers each of the past eight seasons in Toronto, earned $19.7 million last season.
Under the terms of this deal under discussion earlier in the day, Delgado would get just $4 million this year, another baseball official told The Associated Press, also on condition of anonymity.
Delgado would get $13.5 million in 2006, $14.5 million in 2007 and $16 million in 2008, and the deal would include a $16 million option for 2009 that would become guaranteed based on how Delgado does in MVP voting and whether he earns postseason MVP awards.
Delgado would need to accumulate 30 points in the next four years for the fifth year to kick in. He would get 10 points for winning the NL MVP award and nine for finishing second and so on under a formula that gives him one point for finishing 10th. He would get 20 points if he's the World Series MVP and 10 if he's the league championship series MVP.
If the option doesn't become guaranteed, Florida would have the right to exercise a $12 million option. If the option is declined, Delgado would get a $4 million buyout.
David Sloane, Delgado's agent, did not seem to be very fond of the Mets. The agent dumped them Sunday night without the courtesy of a phone call, and despite the club's offseason makeover, Sloane said in an e-mail exchange that the Mets have no better shot at making the playoffs than the Orioles -- a team that shares a division with the Yankees and Red Sox.
The Mets already are talking again about Sammy Sosa, whom Minaya has wanted since the day he was named GM in September, and they have been looking into the health of rehabbing outfielder Magglio Ordoñez.
The Sosa deal is complicated and there will be competition for Ordoñez. The Orioles, now having lost out on Delgado, are expected to become involved in the talks for Ordoñez along with the Tigers, Cubs and Rangers.
The Mets also would have to clear an outfield spot if they signed Ordoñez, trading either Mike Cameron or Cliff Floyd, and then would need someone to play first base. Free agents John Olerud and Travis Lee are likely candidates, and Boston's Doug Mientkiewicz is available via trade.
The Mets figured Delgado would cost about the same as pairing Ordoñez with a first baseman, and that's why jumped up from last Thursday's three-year offer of $33 million.
Delgado, a left-handed hitter, spent all 12 previous major-league seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays. He's a career .282 hitter with 336 home runs and 1,058 RBIs. His .269 average in 2004 was his lowest since batting .262 in 1997.
Staff writer David Lennon and the Associated Press contributed to this report.