 | Rays' Zobrist to get long-term deal |
The Tampa Bay Rays will announce this afternoon a five-year contract extension for 2B/RF Ben Zobrist, with the first three years guaranteed and club options for 2014 and 2015.
Terms will be disclosed at a news conference at Tropicana Field.
Like the long-term contracts the Rays gave 3B Evan Longoria, RHP James Shields, LF Carl Crawford, former LHP Scott Kazmir and former CF Rocco Baldelli, Zobrist is trading in his arbitration years and possibly his first two years of free agency for the security of a multiyear deal.
Zobrist, who will make $438,100 this season, had a breakout year in 2009, when he made his first All-Star team and was voted the team MVP by the Tampa Bay chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. He also finished eighth in the American League MVP voting.
A super-utility player last season, when he started at seven different positions, Zobrist has shuttled between second base and right field this season. He also is entrenched as the team's No. 3 hitter.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/apr/23/230500/sp-zobrist-gets-long-term-deal/sports-rays/
|
|
|
|
| |
|
