Source: Giants have preliminary agreement with Alou
SAN FRANCISCO -- Moises Alou is being reunited with his father after reaching a preliminary agreement on a two-year contract with Felipe Alou's San Francisco Giants worth about $13.25 million, a person involved in the negotiations told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
The deal, which includes a second year at the player's option, is pending until Alou passes a physical, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity. An escalator could raise the value to about $13.75 million.
The addition of Alou gives the Giants another big bat to team with Barry Bonds in the middle of the lineup. Alou hit a career-high 39 homers for the Chicago Cubs last season and drove in 106 runs.
Other than Bonds, the Giants didn't have a player hit more than 22 homers or drive in more than 90 runs last season. The lack of another big hitter contributed to Bonds setting a major-league record last season with 232 walks, including 120 intentional.
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| Moises Alou is close to rejoining his father as a member of the Giants. (AP) |
Assistant general manager Ned Colletti said the team doesn't comment on deals until they're officially announced.
"We're negotiating with a number of players, talking to a lot of different players," Colletti said. "We have talked to Moises and his agent. We have not signed anybody."
This would mark the second time Felipe Alou has managed his son in the majors, having done it in 1992-96 in Montreal. A call to Felipe Alou went unreturned.
Moises left as part of the Expos' fire sale and won the World Series the next season in Florida, hitting three homers and driving in nine runs against the Indians. He then played three seasons in Houston and three with the Cubs.
Alou, 38, is a career .300 hitter, with 278 homers and 1,092 RBI, and is a four-time All-Star.
He played mostly left field for the Cubs, but at the GM meetings in November, Felipe said his son could also play right field. That would fulfill one of the last major needs for the Giants this offseason.
San Francisco has already signed a $12.25 million, three-year deal with Gold Glove shortstop Omar Vizquel and a $10.5 million, three-year contract with Gold Glove catcher Mike Matheny. The Giants also signed closer Armando Benitez for $21.5 million over three years.
