PHOENIX -- Mark Grace signed a two-year, $6 million contract Friday with the Arizona Diamondbacks and immediately began circling calendar dates for when his new team will play his former employer, the Chicago Cubs.

"I can't wait for the nine games we play against them. I want to kick their butts," Grace said at a news conference, less than 24 hours after the Cubs declined to offer him salary arbitration.

	Mark Grace First baseman Arizona Diamondbacks
	2000 SEASON STATISTICS G R HR RBI AVG SLG 143 75 11 82 .280 .429

"I gave my heart and my soul for 13 years to the Chicago Cubs. It's time to move on. I'm a Diamondback now, for at least the next two years. I wish spring training was tomorrow. I'm going to play my fanny off here."

Arizona officials have been wooing the 36-year-old free-agent first baseman since last month. Diamondbacks Managing General Partner Jerry Colangelo even took Grace to a Phoenix Suns game -- he's CEO of the NBA team -- and then talked contract over pizza.

The deal includes a mutual $3 million option year in 2003.

Grace, who earned $5.3 million last season, was willing to accept less money for a chance to live year-round at his home in suburban Scottsdale with his wife and newborn son.

"It's a no-brainer situation for me," said Grace. "It was the easiest decision I ever had to make and it was the perfect decision.

ESPN.com analysis

Mark Grace is not a very good first baseman at this point in his career. Last year, he had a fine .394 on-base percentage, but a poor .429 slugging percentage. Add the two together and his OPS was .824, which ranked 20th among 26 regular first basemen. The D-Backs already had two fine options at first base -- Erubiel Durazo, who has a .905 OPS in 119 career major-league games, and Greg Colbrunn, who has had an OPS over .900 each of his two seasons of part-time play in Arizona. Spending $3 million per year on a mediocre hitter like Grace when cheaper options are available doesn't make a lot of sense -- especially for a franchise that took out a $40 million cash call during the season. The D-Backs may try Durazo in right field, which is an experiment that seems doomed to failure considering his lack of foot speed. And what about Grace's glove? One columnist at the Arizona Republic wrote that Grace will provide defense "sorely needed to cover for a weak middle infield." Well, Jay Bell and Tony Womack are weak defensively, but that's due to lack of range rather than errors. The two combined for 26 errors last year, which is actually less than the major-league average. Grace may be a "throwback" and a "natural leader," as the columnist wrote, but that doesn't hide the fact that he's an aging singles hitter at a position that demands power. --David Schoenfield

"With the talent they've got here, there's no reason why they can't be the elite team in the National League West and I want to be a part of it. I will have no problem blending in."

Grace was presented a purple Diamondbacks jersey with his name and his familiar No. 17 on the back.

"I will wear this proudly. That is my promise," Grace said. "I want to thank Mr. Colangelo for throwing me a life perserver. I was battling to stay afloat."

Last season, Grace hit just .280, his lowest average in nine years. He had only 11 home runs with 82 RBI and 95 walks although he broke a finger in spring training and missed three weeks in May with a pulled hamstring.

"I'm not going to use injuries as an excuse. The .280 and 80-something RBIs, that's unacceptable to me," he said. "But Wrigley Field is a tough place to hit and I won't have to wear batting gloves in April and May here (at Bank One Ballpark with its retractable dome).

"I feel as good as I did seven, eight years ago. I have a lot of enthusiasm for an old guy."

The Diamondbacks won NL west in 1999, their second year in existence, but slumped to third place last season. It cost manager Buck Showalter his job.

Colangelo said his team is counting on leadership from Grace, on the field and in the clubhouse.

"He's one of the best clutch hitters in baseball, a perennial .300 hitter," said Colangelo. "He's a pro's pro."

The three-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner led the majors in hits in the 1990s with 1,754 and has a career .309 batting average.

Arizona cleared roster space -- and first base -- on Thursday by selling the contract of young slugger Alex Cabrera to the Seibu Lions of the Japanese Pacific League for $600,000.

Erubiel Durazo, who underwent season-ending surgery on his right wrist in August after getting eight homers and 33 RBIs in 67 games, will back up Grace and platoon in right field with Danny Bautista. Veteran utilityman Greg Colbrunn will return to a right-handed pinch-hitting role.

Chicago's management decided to let Grace go and go with young first basemen Julio Zuleta and Hee Seop Choi.

Zuleta, who hit .294 in 30 games last season, can probably play now. Choi was one of the top prospects in the Arizona Fall League's managers and coaches poll, and he could be ready next season.

"For me to remain a Cub, the Cubs would have wanted to want me back and the Cubs would have had to win," Grace said. "Neither of those happened and I'm one proud Diamondback now.