Andruw Jones signs with the Dodgers

[Plainview1981]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3143653

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Andruw Jones is following Joe Torre to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Gold Glove center fielder and the Dodgers reached a preliminary agreement Wednesday night on a $36.2 million, two-year contract that gives him the fifth-highest average salary in the major leagues.

Expert takes

Need more proof that baseball's economics have changed? Look no further than Andruw Jones' new deal as the Dodgers are paying a good player like a superstar, Rob Neyer writes. Blog Insider

Jones' signing creates a surplus in the Dodgers' outfield, meaning either Matt Kemp or Andre Ethier might be available in a trade, Keith Law writes. Blog Insider

Jones' addition gives the Dodgers a potentially potent National League lineup, Buster Olney writes. Blog Insider

"We're thrilled to get a player of his caliber," Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said Thursday morning. "His desire to be in L.A. was a huge component in this."

Colletti said Jones likely would undergo a physical exam Tuesday in Los Angeles.

Jones, the former Atlanta star who has won 10 straight Gold Gloves, is coming off one of the worst offensive seasons of his career. But if he rebounds, he could give the Dodgers a desperately needed boost in the middle of the lineup. He must pass a physical for the deal to be completed, a person familiar with the negotiations said, speaking on condition of anonymity because no announcement had been made.

A five-time All-Star, Jones will receive a $12.2 million signing bonus, of which $5.1 million is payable next year, $2.1 million in 2009 and $5 million in 2010. He well get salaries of $9 million next year and $15 million in 2009, and also will receive a no-trade clause.

His agreement with the Dodgers was first reported by the Los Angeles Times on its Web site.

Scott Boras, his agent, wouldn't confirm the agreement but sounded as if a deal had fallen into place.

"Being on a competitive team was a very, very important part of his process," he said.

Jones hit .222 this season, his lowest average since he batted .217 in 106 at-bats as a rookie in 1996. His 26 home runs were his fewest since 1997. He drove in 94 runs for the Braves, but finished with a paltry .311 on-base percentage.

Had Jones finished with big numbers, he likely would have sought a longer-term agreement. Boras said there were really only two options when it came to length.

"Very, very long-term or very, very short term," he said. "Nothing in between."

Andruw Jones

Jones

Center Field

Atlanta Braves

Profile

2007 Season Stats GM HR RBI R OBP AVG

154 26 94 83 .311 .222

Jones didn't consider a one-year contract.

"I wouldn't put a player in that position, mainly because [he] just went through that," Boras said. "That was never an option."

Jones is a .263 career hitter with 368 home runs and 1,117 RBIs. He was runner-up for the NL MVP award in 2005, when he had 51 homers and 128 RBIs. The following season he hit 41 home runs with a career-high 129 RBIs.

He made $13.5 million this year, the final season of a five-year contract. The Braves made no effort to re-sign him.

Jones' $18.1 million average salary trails only those of the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez ($27.5 million), Boston's Manny Ramirez ($20 million), the Yankees' Derek Jeter ($18.9 million), and the Cubs' Carlos Zambrano ($18.3 million).

Adding Jones was the first major move for Los Angeles since Torre replaced Grady Little as manager on Nov. 1. Jones will get a chance to work with Don Mattingly, who followed Torre to the Dodgers and became hitting coach.

Light-hitting Juan Pierre, who had been in center field, could switch to left -- potentially reducing playing time for Matt Kemp or Andre Ethier."

Is it me, or does the Dodgers always take the Braves leftovers?

[chillzatl]

It's amazing to me that a guy who can't hit .275 consistently can rake that much money...

They brutalized J.D. Drew out there. If andrew comes out like he usually does, they'll be all over him.

[gsuteke]

why do they insist on overpaying for our old players?

[Plainview1981]

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It's amazing to me that a guy who can't hit .275 consistently can rake that much money...

They brutalized J.D. Drew out there. If andrew comes out like he usually does, they'll be all over him.

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The thing is that you just knew the Dodgers were going to be the team dumb enough to give him that kind of contract.

[Eddielives]

I agree. They are going to regret giving him that much money. No longer will we have to hear the announcers say that it's okay he can't hit worth a damn because he saves so many runs with his defense. PLEASE!!!!

Was it Jayson Stark who put him on his most overrated players list. I instantly gained respect for him(if it was him) for that...yet still Joe Simpson would say "take that" Jayson Stark when Andruw would hit a hr or make a nice catch. What a unobjective homer.

I heard Kincaid talking about what Boras said about Andruw's numbers last year...saying he played hurt with a hyper-extended elbow. He went on to say that he'll be playing with Furcal who's been known to have a hyper-extended elbow as well! LOL!!

[Yubs]

I sincerely hope the money we saved not signing Andruw goes towards a contract for Tex. I want Tex to be a Brave for another 5 or so years.

[DJlaysitup]

Andruw Jones was a VERY good player for us. 8 or 10 Golden Gloves and 5 All-star appearances. He had a lousy year at the plate last year but he could always be counted on to show up and play hard (unlike JKidd in the nba).

I was always dissappointed in his lack of improvement batting...not so much his average, but his intent on trying to pull the ball all the time and not hitting the ball where it was pitched. He also struggled mightily against top-line pitching. He got most of his stats hitting the mistakes 3rd and 4th guys in the rotation made IMO.

Still, he was a great Brave, definitely the best CF the franchise has ever had.

That said...we did the right thing by not re-signing him. Too much money for a position that we can fill on the cheap and spend the money on pitching. Giving Andruw a longterm big-money contract would have been a big mistake.

[AHF]

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Andruw Jones was a VERY good player for us. 8 or 10 Golden Gloves and 5 All-star appearances. He had a lousy year at the plate last year but he could always be counted on to show up and play hard (unlike JKidd in the nba).

I was always dissappointed in his lack of improvement batting...not so much his average, but his intent on trying to pull the ball all the time and not hitting the ball where it was pitched. He also struggled mightily against top-line pitching. He got most of his stats hitting the mistakes 3rd and 4th guys in the rotation made IMO.

Still, he was a great Brave, definitely the best CF the franchise has ever had.

That said...we did the right thing by not re-signing him. Too much money for a position that we can fill on the cheap and spend the money on pitching. Giving Andruw a longterm big-money contract would have been a big mistake.

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Very good post!

[TroyMcClure]

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I was always dissappointed in his lack of improvement batting...not so much his average, but his intent on trying to pull the ball all the time and not hitting the ball where it was pitched.

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I'll miss Andruw a lot. I won't miss the above. He could have been like Manny. In Andruw's effed up head it's just not cool to go the other way, I guess. What really got me the last 3 or 4 years is that he would tease us with periods of hitting the other way. Then, when the sitiuation totally called for that, he would regress to swinging for way beyond the fences.

And it's hard to respect that he is truly playing just for money. I honestly think he would have played for anyone if the price was right. Just my opinion, though. I've got a lot of love for Andruw. I'm just not as sad to see him go as I would have liked to be, you know?

[chillzatl]

I've always felt and will always feel that Andrews biggest problem was that he wasn't interested in working hard enough to be great. He's a guy who was literally a star based on raw talent alone and he wasn't interested in putting in the extra work that it would take to go from star to superstar. It's possible that being in a new city might change him some, but I don't think it would have ever happened here. Heck, I know it wouldn't have.

[TroyMcClure]

Notice how he always came into the season fat and lost it? That's how I knew he was never on anything.

There are rumors that the Braves have offered Chuck James to the Royals for David DeJesus.

Corey Patterson is out there. He would be a decent option if the price were right.

Other than that it's Josh Anderson or Jordan Schafer that will likely start in center.

[AHF]

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There are rumors that the Braves have offered Chuck James to the Royals for David DeJesus.

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How can we afford to lose more starting pitching?

[Gray Mule]

Dodgers really needs him. He should make them better.

May have lost a step in center, but has one of the best

instincts for going after the ball.

Maybe, just maybe, they can make him believe in going

to the opposite field. This is his great, glaring

weakness that he has constantly refused to address.

Happy for the Dodgers that they want and need him.

Glad he's gone. His play last season proved that he

wouldn't listen to T.P. making him not worth the

asking price they were throwing at Atlanta.

[TroyMcClure]

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There are rumors that the Braves have offered Chuck James to the Royals for David DeJesus.

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How can we afford to lose more starting pitching?

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We are actually pretty deep with the return of Glavine. Our rotation goes like this:

1. Hudson

2. Smoltz

3. Glavine

4. Hampton

5. a bunch of guys like...

JoJo Reyes

Buddy Carlisle

Jeff Bennett(he's looked really good)

Anthony Lerew

Jair Jurrjens

And the previously mentioned Chuck James

Tyler Yates has started in the past, also.

If we could get DeJesus for James we should do it, imo. James has limited talent. I hear they won't do it. Dayton Moore knows what James has to offer.

[AHF]

Please don't tell me you are counting on Hampton being in the rotation!

Anything we get from him is gravy, IMO.

[TroyMcClure]

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Please don't tell me you are counting on Hampton being in the rotation!

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At this point, I don't count on Hampton being able to roll out of bed without tweaking some injury.

Reyes can pitch. He looks a lot like Avery with his delivery. He can mash, too! Sweet stroke for a pitcher.

Bennett has just been so good that he may demand a spot in the rotation.

Lerew has some nice stuff but I would be hesitant to count on him.

Carlyle can definitely handle the 5th spot or spot start.

I'm excited at the prospect of having Gonzales back. That will shorten games so much more. The need for a 4th and 5th is diminished if we have a healthy Gonzales and Soriano.

[DJlaysitup]

I'm not counting on "Speedy" Hampton either...but you never know. We have to have pitching depth since two of our frontline starters are kinda old (Glavine and Smoltzy). If Hampton can give us some quality starts it would be a real plus.