White Sox sign OF Lee to $15 million, two-year deal

NEW YORK -- Outfielder Carlos Lee agreed Friday to a $15 million, two-year contract with the Chicago White Sox, who also agreed to an $800,000, one-year deal with pitcher Kelly Wunsch.

Chicago planned to announce the agreements Saturday. The terms were confirmed to the Associated Press by baseball sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Lee gets $6.5 million next season and $8 million in 2005. Chicago has an $8.5 million option for 2006 with a $500,000 buyout.

Lee, 27, hit .291 last season with 31 homers, 113 RBI and 18 steals, all career highs.

Wunsch, 31, was 0-0 with a 2.75 ERA in 43 relief appearances.

Right-hander Jose Santiago and the White Sox agreed to a minor league contract, but the pitcher then notified the team he was changing agents, leaving the status of the deal unclear.

Under the agreement between the team and the agent, Santiago would get a $550,000, one-year contract if he is added to the major league roster and the chance to earn $125,000 in bonuses: $25,000 each for 35, 45, 50, 55 and 60 games played.

Santiago, 29, spent last season with the Cleveland Indians, where he was 1-3 with a 2.84 ERA in 25 games.

He was with Kansas City from 1997-2001 and Philadelphia from 2001-2002. Santiago has a 17-22 record with four saves and a 4.39 ERA.

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2003, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved