DODGERS GET THEIR MAN; ISHII GETS $12 MILLION.Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer Kazuhisa Ishii's wish to pitch for the Dodgers will be reality. The Japanese lefty and the Dodgers agreed to a four-year, $12.1-million deal and he'll be introduced at a press conference this afternoon, baseball officials said late Thursday night. The contract also includes two club options and a no-trade clause for the first year of the deal. Ishii passed a physical and his blood work came back clean, sources said. The signing gives the Dodgers seven legitimate starting pitchers, but Ishii will fit into the front end of the starting rotation behind Kevin Brown The name Kevin Brown can refer to several different people, including the following:
fellow countryman fellow irreg n → compatriote m fellow countryman fellow Hideo Nomo Hideo Nomo (born Aug. 31, 1968 , Osaka, Japan) Japanese baseball pitcher whose success with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1995 created new opportunities for Asian players in Major League Baseball. and Andy Ashby ``We had an extremely productive day (Thursday) meeting with (Ishii's agent) Joe Urbon and some of Ishii's advisors and we anticipate an announcement very soon,'' Dodgers general manager Dan Evans said. ``We are in the final stages of the process.'' Ishii, 28, received a $1.5 million signing bonus A signing bonus or sign-on bonus is a sum of money paid to a new employee by a company as an incentive to join that company. These are often given as a way of making a compensation package more attractive to the employee e.g. if the annual salary is lower than they desire. and will make $500,000 this season. He will make $2.25 million in 2003, $2.65 million in 2004 and $3.2 million in 2005. The $3.25-million option for 2006 has a $1 million buyout and a $4-million option for 2007 has a $1 million buyout. Approximately $6 million of the guaranteed money is deferred with interest, which makes the deal closer to the $14 million Ishii was seeking. The Dodgers also must pay Ishii's team in Japan, the Yakult Swallows, $11.26 million for signing him. ``We still have a few things we have to work out, but my hope is we have things taken care of tomorrow morning,'' Urbon said. ``I'm very optimistic op·ti·mist n. 1. One who usually expects a favorable outcome. 2. A believer in philosophical optimism. op .'' Ishii was 78-46 with a 3.38 ERA in his career with the Yakult Swallows of the Japanese Central League. He was 12-5 with a 3.40 ERA last season and was 54-31 with a 3.21 ERA in his last five seasons. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color) ISHII |
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