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Saturday, December 21 Mets to make official announcement Monday Associated Press |
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NEW YORK -- Cliff Floyd passed his physical Saturday, finalizing his $26 million, four-year contract with the New York Mets.
Floyd agreed in principle to the deal Friday. The contract was completed after the physical conducted by Mets team physician Dr. Andrew Rokito.
The Mets will hold a news conference on Monday at Shea Stadium to officially announce the deal.
Floyd is the third big free-agent acquisition for the Mets this offseason as they try to bounce back from a last-place finish in 2002.
The Mets signed left-hander Tom Glavine to a $35 million, three-year deal, making him the ace of their staff. The team also bolstered its bullpen by signing lefty Mike Stanton to a $9 million, three-year contract.
But it was the offense that needed the most help, and Floyd should provide a big boost. He batted .288 with 28 homers, 43 doubles and 79 RBI last season for Florida, Montreal and Boston. He had a .388 on-base percentage and slugged .533.
He will be a major upgrade over Roger Cedeno or Jeromy Burnitz in one of the corner outfield spots. The Mets could deal Cedeno or Burnitz, with Texas and Colorado as the leading possibilities, or move Cedeno to center field to make room for Floyd.
New York was last in the majors in batting average in right field and second-to-last in the NL in both homers and RBI in left field. That was a big reason they were 13th in the league in scoring.
Floyd struggled with injuries early in his career but has played 295 games in the last two seasons. He is a .284 career hitter with 132 homers and 508 RBI in 908 games.
The deal with Floyd is the latest big move made by owner Fred Wilpon, who took over sole ownership of the team from Nelson Doubleday in August.
Floyd will get a $6.5 million salary in each season of the deal. He has full no-trade protection in the first year of the contract and a limited no-trade clause in the final three years.
The Mets still need to find a starting third baseman to replace Edgardo Alfonzo and a shortstop to play until rookie phenom Jose Reyes is ready to take over.
After Norihiro Nakamura's decision to stay with the Kintetsu Buffaloes, the Mets now will turn their attention to free agents Bill Mueller and Jose Hernandez to fill the third-base hole.
Nakamura would have been the second Japanese slugger this week to come to New York. Hideki Matsui agreed to a $21 million, three-year deal with the Yankees on Thursday.
Instead, Nakamura turned down a $7 million, two-year offer from the Mets. He will reportedly receive about $30 million over five years from Kintetsu.
"What matters to me most is the freedom to keep up with my style, not the amount of money,'' Nakamura said Saturday in Japan. "Kintetsu is the one that fits me best.''
Nakamura hit .294 with 42 homers and 115 RBI last season in Japan's Pacific League. |
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