NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Dodgers landed the bat they've been seeking, reaching agreement on Wednesday night with free-agent outfielder Andruw Jones on a two-year, $36 million contract, according to a baseball official. The deal is contingent on Jones passing a physical exam.
Jones, a 10-time Gold Glove winner and five-time All Star, will take over center field, with Juan Pierre likely moving to left.
The negotiations, which appeared to be moving at a snail's pace over the first three days of the Winter Meetings, reached a rapid conclusion on Wednesday night. The short-term deal will allow Jones to rehabilitate his stats in time for another bite at the free-agent apple while still in his prime.
The market for Jones had been underwhelming in the wake of the worst season of his career -- .222 average, 26 homers, 94 RBIs. He also had interest from the Kansas City Royals.
Jones' former Braves teammates, however, indicated that he preferred to stay in the National League and was getting antsy for a resolution. Another former Atlanta teammate, Dodgers shortstop Rafael Furcal, placed more than one recruiting phone call to Jones, understandable because they were the closest of friends when they played together.
Jones, 30, is the big bat Colletti has been seeking since taking over two years ago, especially if his 2007 performance is an aberration compared with the previous two seasons, when he slugged 92 homers with 257 RBIs. The Dodgers made a run at acquiring Jones a year ago, but Jones would not waive a no-trade clause. What happened to Jones in 2007? Trying to play with a secretly hyper-extended elbow didn't help, but such decisions are commonplace with free agency looming.
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Originally Posted by McCarroll21
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