White Sox sign Koch to avoid arbitration

CHICAGO -- Billy Koch and the Chicago White Sox agreed Wednesday to a two-year contract worth $10,625,000.

Koch, acquired in December from the Oakland Athletics in a six-player trade, gets $4.25 million this year and $6,375,000 in 2004.

Koch was scheduled for an arbitration hearing next month. He was asking for $5.9 million for one year and the White Sox countered with $4.25 million.

He had a $2.35 million base salary last season and made $150,000 in performance bonuses.

Koch, 27, and two minors leaguers joined the White Sox in exchange for closer Keith Foulke, catcher Mark Johnson and minor league right-hander Joe Valentine.

Koch was 11-4 with 44 saves and a 3.27 ERA with 93 strikeouts in 93 2/3 innings for Oakland last season.

"As we talked about at the time we traded for Billy, part of the appeal of doing the deal was the fact that we would be able to keep him around beyond 2003," White Sox assistant general manager Rick Hahn said.

"This contract not only rewards Billy for the unprecedented level of success he has achieved at this stage in his career, but also provides the club with some cost certainty going forward," Hahn said.

Koch, who has 144 career saves, spent his first three seasons with Toronto.

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