MO-MENTOUS; ANGELS GIVE VAUGHN $80M.Byline: Joe Haakenson Anaheim just became Mo-town. The Angels on Wednesday finalized a six-year, $80 million deal for free-agent first baseman Mo Vaughn The announcement ended three weeks of negotiations between the Angels and Vaughn's representatives. There were no other serious offers made to Vaughn other than the five-year, $60 million offer from his previous team, the Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Red Sox are a member and currently champions of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball’s American League. From to the present, the Red Sox have played in Fenway Park. . The Angels made their intentions clear from the beginning, calling Vaughn's agent, Tom Reich, at 9 a.m. on Nov. 5, the first day teams could begin negotiating with free agents. It is by far the most lucrative contract in Angels history, surpassing the four-year, $22.5 million deal awarded to Tim Salmon ``This was obviously a huge day for our organization,'' Angels general manager Bill Bavasi William J. Bavasi (born December 27, 1957, Pasadena, California) is the current general manager and vice president of baseball operations for the Seattle Mariners. The son of longtime Major League Baseball executive Buzzie Bavasi and the brother of Peter Bavasi, also a former MLB said. ``It's a very, very exciting day. One we'll always remember.'' It's memorable because the Angels just added one of baseball's most productive hitters to their lineup and one of the biggest prizes in this year's free-agent crop. Memorable because they also added a strong clubhouse presence many felt was missing. Vaughn was likewise impressed with the Angels from the beginning of the negotiations. In fact, one of Vaughn's representatives, Adam Katz, said that Vaughn ordered his agents not to listen to any other offers once the Angels made theirs. ``If you could read the letter (Bavasi) had written to me as well as their offer, you could tell what kind of people he's working for,'' Vaughn said during a conference call. ``They were going out and looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. people with attitude. You need an attitude, you need some linebackers playing baseball. He's instilled that attitude. Disney decided to spend some money and get some attitude.'' Vaughn didn't specify what was in the letter, only to say that Bavasi made him feel wanted, unlike the Red Sox. ``You really don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. what people feel about you as a player, especially an opposing player,'' Vaughn said. ``But obviously they studied my actions and my attitude as a player. I appreciate that. After being (in Boston) for eight years, you get the feeling they (Red Sox) didn't see the same things (the Angels) had seen.'' ``From our standpoint, it was not a competition (among teams),'' Katz said of the negotiations. ``From the beginning the Angels were identified by Mo as his first choice and the Angels identified Mo as their first choice. We just worked very, very hard and figured it out. Mo dictated the pace. He didn't want to engage multiple teams and multiple offers. The Angels were his first choice and we attacked that.'' To some, it might seem the Angels have made a change in philosophy by spending big money. Not so, Bavasi said. ``There's a change in action, I don't think there's a change in philosophy,'' he said. ``We've been very careful. We haven't seen a player like him. He was the guy for us. It was very important for us. If there was a guy like Mo Vaughn available last year or the year before, we'd have tried to sign him.'' Vaughn, 30, hit .337 with 40 homers and 115 RBI RBI abbr. Baseball runs batted in Noun 1. rbi - a run that is the result of the batter's performance; "he had more than 100 rbi last season" run batted in last season for the Red Sox and has 230 homers and a .304 average in his eight-year career. But as big as Vaughn's numbers can be, he presence in the dugout and clubhouse were equally important to the Angels. ``I was talking to Noun 1. talking to - a lengthy rebuke; "a good lecture was my father's idea of discipline"; "the teacher gave him a talking to" lecture, speech rebuke, reprehension, reprimand, reproof, reproval - an act or expression of criticism and censure; "he had to (Angels first base coach) George Hendrick
``Some guys just strike you as `This is the guy who's going to do it for you.' I've always admired the guy, the way he's one about his business every day.'' ``The signing of Mo Vaughn is an extraordinary event for our ballclub,'' Angels manager Terry Collins said. ``Mo is one of those rare individuals whose presence will have a profound effect on the players, the organization and this community. Our ownership has established its desire to take this team to the next level. And Mo is the type of individual who relishes that challenge.'' Vaughn put a lot into his years in Boston, becoming active in charities and community programs. He also said he plans to keep a house there and live there during the offseason. But making the adjustment to living on the West Coast, he said, is something he has been preparing for. MO OFFENSE The acquisition of Mo Vaughn should bring a considerable jump in production from the first-base spot. Here's a look at the 1998 statistics of Vaughn compared to those of Darrin Erstad and Cecil Fielder Stat Vaughn Erstad/Fielder Batting Avg. .337 .268 Hits 205 136 Runs 107 69 HR 40 22 RBI 115 93 Erstad and Fielder's statistics are from games they played at first base. ALARY a·la·ry adj. Variant of alar. Adj. 1. alary - having or resembling wings aliform, wing-shaped, alar biological science, biology - the science that studies living organisms PROGRESSION A look at how the top salary in baseball has escalated, based on average annual values of multiyear contracts. Figures were obtained by The Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. from player and management sources and include all guaranteed income at the time of signing, but not income from potential incentive bonuses. There is no distinction for money deferred without interest: Date Player Club Avg. Salary Nov. 25, 1998 Mo Vaughn Angels $13,333,333 Oct. 26, 1998 Mike Piazza Michael Joseph Piazza (born September 4, 1968 in Norristown, Pennsylvania) is an American Major League Baseball player who currently plays for the Oakland Athletics. He began his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers and played for the Florida Marlins, New York Mets, San Diego Padres N.Y. Mets $13,000,000 Dec. 12, 1997 Pedro Martinez Boston $12,500,000 Aug. 10, 1997 Greg Maddux Gregory Alan Maddux (born April 14, 1966) is a pitcher for the San Diego Padres. He was the first pitcher in Major League history to win the Cy Young Award for four consecutive years (1992-1995), during which he had a 75-29 record with a 1. Atlanta $11,500,000 Feb. 20, 1997 Barry Bonds S.F. $11,450,000 Nov. 19, 1996 Albert BelleChi. White Sox $11,000,000 Jan. 31, 1996 Ken Griffey Ken Griffey may refer to:
Dec. 8, 1992 Barry Bonds S.F. $7,291,666 March 2, 1992 Ryne Sandberg Dec. 2, 1991 Bobby Bonilla Feb. 8, 1991 Roger Clemens William Roger Clemens (born August 4, 1962, in Dayton, Ohio), is a starting pitcher for the New York Yankees, and is one of the preeminent pitchers in Major League history. In 2006, a poll of 32 ESPN analysts named Clemens the greatest living pitcher. Boston $5,380,250 June 27, 1990 Jose Canseco Oakland $4,700,000 April 9, 1990 Don Mattingly N.Y. Yankees $3,860,000 Jan. 22, 1990 Will Clark San Francisco $3,750,000 Jan. 17, 1990 Dave Stewart Oakland $3,550,000 Dec. 11, 1989 Mark Davis Kansas City $3,250,000 Dec. 1, 1989 Mark Langston Angels $3,250,000 Nov. 28, 1989 Rickey Henderson Oakland $3,000,000 Nov. 22, 1989 Kirby Puckett Minnesota $3,000,000 Nov. 17, 1989 Bret Saberhagen Kansas City $2,966,667 Feb. 16, 1989 Orel Herhiser Dodgers $2,633,333 Feb. 15, 1989 Roger Clemens Boston $2,500,000 CAPTION(S): 3 Photos, 2 Boxes PHOTO (1--Color) New Angel Mo Vaughn had a fine eight years with Boston, batting .304 and hitting 230 homers. He will keep a home in Massachusetts. Charles Krupa/Associated Press (2--3) Mo Vaughn BOX: (1) MO OFFENSE (see text) (2) SALARY PROGRESSION (see text) |
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