MONDESI AGREES TO $36 MILLION DEAL.Byline: Kevin Acee Daily News Staff Writer It was at times more a party than a conference call, as the Dodgers and right fielder right fielder n. Baseball The player who defends right field. Noun 1. right fielder - the person who plays right field outfielder - (baseball) a person who plays in the outfield Raul Mondesi announced Friday they had come to terms on a four-year contract that left both sides in a festive mood. The pact, which has team options for a fifth and sixth season, is the richest in Dodgers history. It guarantees Mondesi $36 million over four years, $48 million if the Dodgers opt for a fifth year and $60 million should it go six years. ``The Dodgers have proven to me they want to keep me for a long time,'' said the 26-year-old Mondesi, who will receive a $2 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 make $5 million in 1998 before making the jump to $8.5 million in 1999, $9.5 million in 2000 and $11 million in 2001. ``I want to say thank you to Fred (Claire, the Dodgers executive vice president) for giving me the opportunity to be a Dodger forever,'' said Mondesi, now the eighth-highest paid player in baseball based on the average annual salary over the four years. Mondesi, who in 1997 became the first Dodgers player ever to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in the same season, last month demanded a guaranteed contract of at least six years and $60 million. He said if the Dodgers did not concede he would leave after the 1999 season, when he was eligible for free agency. Also last month, Mondesi fired agent Jeff Moorad Jeff Moorad is currently the Chief Executive Officer, minority owner and managing partner of the Arizona Diamondbacks. He is also a co-owner of the Hall of Fame Racing NASCAR team. For many years, he was a player agent, and representing many baseball and football players. after Moorad asked Mondesi to be patient. He returned to Moorad last week after becoming unhappy with the progress being made between his new representatives and the Dodgers. This past Monday, the two sides exchanged arbitration figures. Mondesi asked for $6.5 million and the club countered with $5.3 million. It it appeared they might be headed toward that end as a soft deadline of Thursday night passed without a deal being struck. The Dodgers did not want to guarantee Mondesi six years, and Mondesi was sticking to his demand. ``Originally, Raul's desire was to have a six-year contract completely guaranteed,'' Moorad said Friday. ``In the spirit of making a deal that was fair for both himself and the club, he backed off that stand.'' Mondesi vowed Friday to work hard the next four years to prove he is worthy of the club picking up the option years, which would pay him $11 million and $13 million. Should the Dodgers pick up a fifth year but not want the sixth, they must pay Mondesi $1 million. There is no buyout Buyout The purchase of a company or a controlling interest of a corporation's shares. Notes: A leveraged buyout is accomplished with borrowed money or by issuing more stock. after the fourth year. The signing of Mondesi leaves outfielder Todd Hollandsworth Todd Mathew Hollandsworth (born April 20, 1973 in Dayton, Ohio) is an outfielder in Major League Baseball. Previously, Hollandsworth played with the Los Angeles Dodgers (1995-2000), Colorado Rockies (2000-2002), Texas Rangers (2002), Florida Marlins (2003), Chicago Cubs as the only arbitration-eligible player unsigned unsigned Adjective (of a letter etc.) anonymous Adj. 1. unsigned - lacking a signature; "the message was typewritten and unsigned" signed - having a handwritten signature; "a signed letter" . Hollandsworth asked for $1.15 million on Monday, a $600,000 raise from his 1997 salary. The Dodgers submitted a figure of $770,000. LOCKED UP The signing of Raul Mondesi means most of the Dodgers corps of veteran players is locked up for a while. Only catcher 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 , who may leave as a free agent after next season, is a question mark. Player Pos. Through Eric Karros Eric Young Eric Young can refer to:
Jose Vizcaino SS 2000 Todd Zeile Raul Mondesi RF 2001 CAPTION(S): Photo, Box PHOTO (Color) Raul Mondesi's contract guarantees $48 million if the Dodgers opt for a fifth year, $60 million if it goes six years. Phil McCarten / Daily News BOX: LOCKED UP (see text) |
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