PIAZZA'S GRAB: $15 MILLION.Byline: Bill Schlotter Daily News Staff Writer Forget the opening gambits toward arbitration. Forget the angry words. The Dodgers and star catcher Star Catcher is a pegasus Pony in Hasbro's line of My Little Pony toys. She was released in 2004 as part of the G3 line and this release has since been discontinued. She was released again in 2007. Star Catcher was the first pegasus to be released in the G3 line. 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 are at peace again, having agreed Tuesday to a two-year contract that makes Piazza the highest-paid catcher in baseball. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Piazza's agent, Dan Lozano, the 28-year-old four-time All-Star will be paid $15 million, $7 million this season and $8 million in 1998. The contract surpasses the one-year $6.65 million deal reached between Texas Rangers Texas Rangers, mounted fighting force organized (1835) during the Texas Revolution. During the republic they became established as the guardians of the Texas frontier, particularly against Native Americans. catcher Ivan Rodriguez and his team earlier this month. That bit of status was a decisive factor Noun 1. decisive factor - a point or fact or remark that settles something conclusively clincher causal factor, determinant, determining factor, determinative, determiner - a determining or causal element or factor; "education is an important determinant of for the Dodgers slugger. ``It was definitely important for Mike to be the highest-paid catcher in the game,'' Lozano said. ``He is definitely the best catcher in the game right now. And I don't think we'll get any argument about that.'' Piazza, who hit .336 with 105 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 and 36 home runs last season, certainly won't get an argument from Dodgers executive vice president Fred Claire Fred Claire (b. October 5, 1935 in Jamestown, OH) is a former major league baseball executive who served in numerous roles for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1969-1998 including the role of general manager from 1987-1998. . ``This is a stature he deserves,'' Claire said. ``This is a stature he has earned.'' Claire and Piazza seemed embarked on an unhappy course Monday when it appeared the four-year veteran, whose $4.2 million, three-year contract expired at the conclusion of last season, was headed for arbitration. In the exchange of salary proposals, the Dodgers came in at $6.1 million for one year, Piazza and Lozano at $7.6 million for one year. Monday, Piazza voiced disapproval and frustration at the way the Dodgers were handling the negotiations. In Tuesday's second round of talks, an alternative was worked out in just over an hour. ``I'm glad this thing is behind us,'' Piazza said. ``Arbitration is something that nobody wants to go through.'' Although Piazza said he would have handled arbitration professionally, he acknowledged that he was emotionally involved in the process. ``I'm an emotional, fiery kind of player,'' Piazza said. ``I always have been and I always will be.'' Claire said the Dodgers would not have gone to arbitration intending to badmouth their catcher. ``The only question would have been what is fair compensation,'' Claire said. ``Mike has contributed too much to this team for us to walk into a room and say, `This is what Mike hasn't done.' '' Piazza and Lozano had hoped to work out a longer deal with the Dodgers. ``It would have been nice to get Mike locked in for five or six years,'' Lozano said. ``I think he would definitely like to end his career here. But that just wasn't in the plan.'' Thus, at the conclusion of this contract, Piazza will qualify as an unrestricted free agent and - if his numbers remain at their current levels - be in for his biggest payday yet. Claire said the Dodgers offered a three-year deal but regarded anything longer as too risky in a business where injury regularly ends careers. ``We don't want to agree to anything too far out because those are guaranteed dollars,'' Claire said. ``That's a risk.'' Claire also said there was no consideration to how a long-term Piazza deal might affect the team's sale. The Dodgers were placed on the market by the O'Malley family earlier this month. ``Peter (O'Malley) said go about it as you normally would,'' Claire said. Signing Piazza finishes most of the Dodgers' contract business for the coming year and comes on the heels of the four-year, $20 million deal made with first baseman Eric Karros n. Baseball The infielder stationed near third base. Noun 1. third baseman - (baseball) the person who plays third base third sacker Todd Zeile. Highest Baseball Salaries Player, Club Years Avg. Salary Albert Belle, CWS CWS Chicago White Sox CWS College World Series CWS Church World Service CWS Child Welfare Services CWS Canadian Wildlife Service CWS Community Water System (EPA) CWS Canada-Wide Standard CWS Compressed Work Schedule 1997-01 $11,000,000 Ken Griffey Jr., Sea 1997-00 $8,500,000 Roger Clemens, Bos 1998-00 $8,250,000 John Smoltz, Atl 1997-00 $7,750,000 Mike Piazza, LA 1997-98 $7,500,000 Barry Bonds, SF 1993-98 $7,291,667 Frank Thomas, CWS 1995-98 $7,250,000 Cecil Fielder, NYY NYY New York Yankees 1993-97 $7,237,500 Alex Fernandez, Fla 1997-01 $7,000,000 CAPTION(S): Photo, Box Photo: (color) The Dodgers put a smile on Mike Piazza's face by making him the highest-paid catcher in baseball. Tom Mendoza / Daily News Chart: TOP BASEBALL SLALRIES (see text) |
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