Cot's Baseball Contracts

A clearinghouse for MLB contracts, named for Cotton Tierney, who was the NL's fifth-leading hitter in 1922 & played the next season for $5,000.

International players

The following former major leaguers signed deals to play internationally.
(Service times through Opening Day of player's most recent Major League season.)

Infielders

Tadahito Iguchi 2b
1 year/$3.85M (2008)

• 1 year/$3.85M (2008)
• signed by San Diego as a free agent 12/12/07
• $0.65M in performance bonuses
• released by San Diego 9/1/08
• signed by Philadelphia as a free agent 9/5/08
  
• 2 years/$4.95M (2005-06), plus 2007 club option
• signed as a free agent from Japan 1/05
• 05:$2.3M, 06:$2.4M, 07:$3.25M club option ($0.25M buyout)
• club exercised $3.25M 2007 club option 10/06
  
• acquired in trade (from Chicago White Sox) 7/27/07
  
• contract includes clause requiring club to sign Iguchi to an extension by sometime in 2007, or release him (effectively granting Iguchi free agency after three years of ML service)
• agent: Rocky Hall
  
• ML service: 3.000 (through 2007)
  

Scott McClain inf
1 year (2009)

• 1 year (2009)
• re-signed by San Francisco as a free agent (minor-league contract)
• signed with Hiroshima of Japan's Central League 4/27/09 (contract worth 20 million yen, plus bonuses)
  
• 1 year (2008)
• contract purchased 9/1/08
• 1 year (2007)
• signed as a free agent for 2007 (minor-league contract)
  
• contract purchased 9/7/07
• sent outright to AAA 10/10/07
  
• 1 year (2006)
• signed as a free agent 12/05 (minor-league contract)
  
• 1 year (2005), contract purchased 8/05
  
• drafted 1990 (2-587)
  
• ML service: 0.116 (through 2008)
  

Scott Seabol 3b
2007

• signed with Hiroshima Carp of Japan's Central League
  
• signed as a free agent 2/06 (Florida) (minor-league contract)
• 1 year (2005)
  
• non-tendered 12/05
• contract purchased 10/04, re-signed 3/05
  
• ML service: 0.166

Rick Short inf
2006

• playing 2006 with Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Japan
• non-tendered 12/05
• DFA 6/05, contract purchased 6/05
  
• ML service: 0.000 (through 2004)

Julio Zuleta 1b
2 years/$3M (2007-08)

• signed with Lotte Marines of Japan 12/06
  
• free agent 11/06 after 3 years with Daiei Hawks of JPL
• signed 1992 as amateur free agent from Panama
  
• agent: Mike Nicotera
• ML service:

Outfielders

Larry Bigbie of
2008

• signed for 2008 with Yokohama BayStars of Japan's Central League
  
• 1 year (2007)
  
• signed as a free agent 2/07 (minor-league contract)
  
• 1 year/$0.9M (2006)
• avoided arbitration 12/05
• performance bonuses: $25,000 each for 500, 550 PAs
• released 11/06
  
• 1 year/$0.38M (2005), re-signed 2/05
• 1 year/$0.34M (2004), re-signed 2/04
• re-signed 2/03
• drafted 1999 (1-21)
  
• ML service: 4.098

Jason Botts of
1 year/$394,190 (2008)

• acquired by Nippon Ham Fighters 6/08
  
• DFA 4/29/08, sent outright to AAA 5/7/08
  
• 1 year/$0.382M (2007), re-signed 3/07
  
• 1 year/$0.328M (2006), re-signed 2/06
  
• 1 year (2005), re-signed 2/05
• drafted 1999 (46-1,375) (signed as draft & follow)
  
• ML service: 0.135 (through 2007)

Lew Ford of
2008

• signed with Hanshin Tigers 1/08
  
• 1 year/$0.985M (2007) (Minnesota)
  
• re-signed 2/07 (avoided arbitration, $1.3M-$0.8M)
• performance bonuses: $15,000 for 300 PAs; $25,000 each for 400, 450 PAs
  
• 1 year/$0.425M (2006), re-signed 3/06
• 1 year/$0.385M (2005), re-signed 3/05
  
• ML service: 4.104 (through 2007)
  

Aaron Guiel of
1 year (2007), plus 2008 club option

• signed with Yakult Swallows 1/07
• $0.25M signing bonus, 07:$0.65M, 08: club option
  
• 1 year/$0.35M (2006)
• non-tendered (by NY Yankees) 12/06
  
• claimed off waivers (from KC) after being DFA 7/06
  
• contract purchased 8/05
• 1 year/$0.345M (2005)
• 1 year/$0.32M (2004)
• ML service: 2.078 (through 2005)
  

Damon Hollins of
1 year/$1M (2007)

• signed to play 2007 for Yomiuri Giants of Japan 12/06
  
• 1 year/$0.3462M (2006)
• non-tendered (by Tampa Bay) 12/06
  
• 1 year (2005), contract purchased 5/05
• drafted 1992 (4-117)
  
• ML service: 1.060

Valentin Pascucci of
2005

• Washington sold rights for $0.3M to Chiba Lotte Marines of Japanese Pacific League 12/04
• ML service:
  

Adam Riggs of
1 year/$0.675M (2005)

• rights sold to Yakult Swallos of Japanese Central League 12/05
• 1 year (2004) (minor-league contract)
• 1 year (2003) (minor-league contract), signed 1/03
  
• ML service:

Tsuyoshi Shinjo of
2004

• signed 12/03 with Nippon Ham Fighters of Pacific League
  
• 1 year/$0.6M (2003), plus $0.4M in incentives
• DFA 7/03
  
• $0.4M in incentives based on Plate Appearances
• signed as a free agent 1/03
• 1 year/$0.5M (2001), plus 2002-03 options
  
• Mets exercised 2002 option 11/01
• $0.2M buyout
• $0.3M in incentives
  
• signed as a free agent 12/00
  
• ML service: 2.000 (through 2003)

Terrmel Sledge of
2 years (2008-09)

• signed with Nippon Ham Fighters of Japan's Pacific League 11/07
  
• 1 year/$0.39M (2007) (San Diego)
• released 11/29/07
  
• re-signed 3/07
  
• 1 year/$0.3475M (2006), re-signed 2/06
  
• 1 year (2005), re-signed 2/05
• 1 year/$0.3M (2004) 2/04
• drafted 1999 (8-245), $7,500 signing bonus
• ML service: 2.061 (through 2006)

Matt Watson of
1 year (2006)

• contract sold to Chiba Lotte of Japanese League 5/06
  
• 1 year (2006), re-signed 2/06 (Oakland)
  
• 1 year (2005), re-signed 3/05
• ML service: 0.072

Catchers

Kenji Johjima c
3 years/$24M (2009-11)

• 3 years/$24M (2009-11)
• signed extension with Seattle 4/25/08
• 09:$8M, 10:$8M, 11:$8M
• Johjima exercised right to opt out of final two years of contract 10/17/09
  
• 3 years/$16.5M (2006-08)
• signed as a free agent from Japan 11/05
• $1M signing bonus
• 06:$5.1M, 07:$5.2M, 08:$5.2M
• limited no-trade protection
  
• award/performance bonuses may increase annual salaries to $5.5M
• Seattle also to provide:
• 12 first- or business-class airline tickets to Japan for Johjima & family for 2006-07
• use of interpreter for Johjima & his wife at home & on road
• English classes for his wife
• position for Johjima's personal trainer (Johjima to pay his salary)
  
• agent: Alan Nero
  
• ML service: 3.000 (through 2008)

Pitchers

Lance Carter rhp
1 year/$0.55M (2006)

• to sign with Orix Blue Wave 12/06
  
• 1 year/$0.55M (2006)
• filed for free agency 10/06
• sent outright to AAA (by LA Dodgers) 7/06
• acquired in trade (from Tampa Bay) 1/06 after being non-tendered & re-signing as a free agent 12/05
• 1 year/$0.361M (2005), re-signed 2/05
• 1 year/$0.32M (2004), re-signed 2/04
• 1 year/$0.3M (2003), re-signed 2/03
• ML service: 3.021

Jared Fernandez p
1 year/$0.2M (2007)

• signed with Hiroshima Carp 12/06
  
• 1 year/$0.337M (2006)
• elected free agency 10/06
  
• sent outright to AAA 5/06 after being DFA
  
• contract purchased 4/06
• signed as a free agent 11/05 (minor-league contract)
• 1 year (2005), signed 12/04 (minor-league contract)
  
• 1 year/$0.325M (2004)
  
• ML service: 1.007

Kazuhisa Ishii p
2 years/$5M (2006-07)

• signed with Yakult Swallows of Japan's Central League 1/06
  
• 4 years/$12.3M (2002-05), plus 2006 & 2007 club options
• released 12/05 after Mets declined 2006 option 11/05
  
• $1.5M signing bonus
• 02:$0.5M, 03:$2.2M, 04:$2.6M, 05:$3.2M, 06:$3.25M club option ($2.2M buyout), 07:$4M club option ($1.1M buyout)
• Mets to pay 2005 salary, Dodgers to pay about $2M of $2.2M buyout
  
• $2.05M of 2005 salary deferred at 0% interest
• $0.15M annually in incentives (IP)
• NTC in 02, limited NTC 03-05
• $25,000 annual housing allowance
• 10 round-trip airline tickets home each season
• trainer, translator
• Dodgers paid $11,264,055 for negotiating rights 1 /02
• agent: Joe Urbon
• ML service: 3.000 (through 2004)
  

Dae Sung Koo p
2006

• Mets sold rights to Hanwha Eagles of Korean League 3/06
• 1 year/$0.4M (2004), plus $2M 2005 club option
• 04:$0.4M (if on ML roster), 05:$M club option
• $0.7M in incentives
  
• DFA 9/05
  
• club declined 2005 option 3/06
  
• ML service: 0.000 (through 2004)
  

Kameron Loe rhp
2 years/$2M (2009-10)

• 2 years/$2M (2009-10)
  
• 1 year/$410,689 (2008)
  
• re-signed by Texas 2/15/08
• sold by Texas to Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks 11/20/08
  
• 1 year/$390,765 (2007), re-signed 2/07
  
• 1 year/$348,770 (2006), re-signed 2/06
  
• 1 year/$0.316M (2005), re-signed 2/05 (split contract)
• ML service: 2.117 (through 2007)
  

Aquilino Lopez rhp
1 year (2009)

• 1 year (2009)
• signed by Kia Tigers of Korea
• 1 year/$0.42M (2008)
• re-signed by Detroit 12/07 (minor-league contract)
• contract purchased 3/30/08
  
• 1 year (2007)
• signed as a free agent for 2007 (minor-league contract)
• contract puchased 4/07, DFA 6/10/07
• contract purchased 8/11/07
  
• 1 year (2006)
  
• acquired by San Diego in trade from Philadelphia 3/06
  
• 1 year (2005)
• signed by LA Dodgers 1/05 (minor-league contract)
• contract purchased by Colorado 7/05
• claimed by Philadelphia off waivers 8/05
• sent outright to AAA 12/05
  
• 1 year/$0.318M (2004) (Toronto)
  
• DFA 9/04
  
• 1 year/$0.3M (2003)
  
• selected by Toronto from Seattle in Rule 5 draft 12/02
  
• ML service: 1.152 (through 2007)
  

C.J. Nitkowski p
1 year (2007)

• signed 1-year contract with Softbank Hawks of Japan 11/06
• 1 year/$0.5M (2006)
• signed as a free agent 11/05 (minor-league contract)
  
• 1 year (2005) (minor-league contract)
• 1 year/$0.375M (2004), signed as a free agent 1/04
• DFA 6/04
  
• 1 year/$0.55M (2003)
  
• ML service: 6.072

Darrell Rasner rhp
1 year (2008)

• 1 year (2008)
• re-signed 12/07 (minor-league contract)
• contract purchased 5/4/08
• contract sold for $1M to Tohoku Rakuten of Japan's Pacific League 11/16/08
  
• 1 year/$384,523 (2007)
• signed 2/07
  
• non-tendered by NY Yankees 12/12/07
• 1 year (2006)
• re-signed 2/06
• claimed by NY Yankees off waivers from Washington 2/06
  
• 1 year (2005), re-signed 1/05
• drafted 2002 (2-46)
• $0.8M signing bonus
• ML service: 1.142 (through 2007)
  

Jae Seo rhp
1 year/$1.5M (2008)

• signed to play in South Korea 12/07
  
• 1 year/$1.2M (2007)
• granted free agency (by Tampa Bay) 10/07
• DFA 6/1/07, sent outright to AAA 6/11/07
  
• re-signed 10/06
  
• 1 year/$0.35M (2006)
• acquired in trade 6/06, with TB paying Dodgers $1M as part of deal
• 1 year (2005), re-signed 3/05
  
• re-signed 3 /04
• 1 year/$0.3M (2003) 2/03
• ML service: 3.053

Brian Sikorski p
1 year/$0.45M (2007)

• contract sold by Cleveland to Yakult of Japan Central League 5/17/07
  
• DFA 1/07, re-signed to minor-league contract
• $0.1M guaranteed ($0.2M salary in minors)
  
• 1 year (2006)
• acquired in trade after being DFA (by San Diego) 7/06
  
• contract purchased 5/06
  
• released 3/06, re-signed to minor-league contract
  
• 1 year/$0.5M (2006), plus incentives
• signed as a free agent 12/05
• $0.2M guaranteed
• $0.25M in incentives
  
• ML service: 1.014

Jason Standridge p
1 year (2007)

• signed with Fukuoka Softbank Hawks of Japan 6/3/07
  
• contract purchased 5/10/07, DFA (by KC) 5/22/07
  
• DFA, sent outright to AAA 4/07
  
• contract purchased 4/07
• signed as a free agent 2/07 (minor-league contract)
• DFA, sent outright to AAA 1/07
• 1 year (2006), re-signed 2/06
• DFA, sent outright to AAA 3/06
• contract purchased 6/06
  
• claimed off waivers (by NY Mets, from Cincinnati) 11/06
  
• 1 year (2005)
• contract purchased, DFA 6/05
• signed as a free agent 11/04 (minor-league contract)
  
• 1 year/$0.3025M (2004), re-signed 2/04
  
• ML service: 2.049

Brian Sweeney p
2007

• signed with Nippon Ham Fighters 12/06
  
• 1 year/$0.335M (2006), contract purchased 4/06
• signed as a free agent 10/05 (minor-league contract)
  
• ML service: 0.073

Ryan Vogelsong p
1 year/$0.555M (2006)

• signed to play 2007 wiht Hanshin Tigers
  
• 1 year/$0.555M (2006)
  
• sent outright to AAA after being DFA 6/06
  
• re-signed 1/06 (avoided arbitration)
• $0.2M in performance bonuses
• $25,000 for 10 GS
• $30,000 each for 15 & 20 GS
• $40,000 for 25 GS
  
• $25,000 each for 45, 55 & 65 g
  
• 1 year/$0.332M (2005), re-signed 2/05
• 1 year/$0.3115M (2004)
• 1 year/$0.2125M (2002) 3/02
• ML service: 3.102 (through 2005)

Les Walrond lhp
2008

• 1 year (2008)
• signed as a free agent 11/13/07 (minor-league contract, $0.4M in majors)
• signed as a free agent 5/2/08 (minor-league contract)
• contract purchased 8/2/08, DFA 8/20/08
• contract purchased 9/1/08
• claimed by Toronto off waivers from Philadelphia 11/4/08
• released, sold to Japanese club 11/08
  
• 1 year/$0.39M (2007)
  
• signed by Chicago Cubs 10/14/06 (minor-league contract)
  
• 1 year (2006)
  
• signed by Chicago Cubs as a free agent 1/11/06 (minor-league contract)
• 1 year/$0.319M (2005) (Florida)
  
• 1 year (2004) (KC)
  
• 1 year/$0.3M (2003)
• signed by St. Louis 1/03 (split contract paying $50,000 in minors)
  
• claimed off waivers by KC from St. Louis 5/03
• DFA, sent outright to AAA 8/03
  
• drafted by St. Louis, 1998 (13-378) (University of Kansas)
  
• ML service: 0.053 (through 2007)
  

Dave Williams p
1 year/$1.25M (2007)

• signed with Yokohama BayStars of Japan's Central League 12/07
  
• 1 year/$1.25M (2007)
  
• sent outright to AAA (by NY Mets) (refused assignment 11/6/07)
  
• DFA 7/14/07, contract purchased 9/18/07
  
• re-signed 12/06 (avoided arbitration)
• $1.125M in performance bonuses based on relief appearances & starts
• $50,000 for 30 g relief, $75,000 for 40, $0.1M for 50, $0.15M for 60
• $50,000 for 10 GS, $0.1M for 15 GS, $0.15M for 20 GS, $0.2M for 25 GS, $0.25M for 30 GS
  
• award bonuses: $25,000 each for All Star selection, WS MVP or LCS MVP
  
• 1 year/$1.4M (2006), plus incentives
  
• acquired in trade (from Cincinnati) after being DFA 5/06
• acquired in trade (from Pittsburgh) 12/05 (Reds paying $1M of Sean Casey's $8.5M 2006 salary as part of the deal)
• 1 year/$1.4M (2006), plus incentives
• re-signed 10/05 (avoided arbitration)
• $40,000 for 160 IP or 50 g
• $60,000 for 180 IP or 60 g
• $0.125M for 200 IP
  
• 1 year/$0.33M (2005)
• re-signed 2/05 (split contract)
  
• 1 year (2004), re-signed 2/04
  
• 1 year/$0.3125M (2003)
• agent: David Pepe
  
• ML service: 4.015

Mike Wood rhp
1 year/$0.42M (2007)

• signed with Yokohama BayStars of Japan's Central League 12/07
  
• refused outright assignment (by Texas), elected free agency 10/16/07
  
• contract purchased 4/07
  
• re-signed as a free agent 12/06 (minor-league contract)
  
• 1 year/$0.35M (2006)
• non-tendered (by Texas) 12/06
  
• claimed off waivers (from KC) 10/06
  
• 1 year/$0.319M (2005), re-signed 2/05
• agent: Matt Sosnick
• drafted 2001 (10-311)
  
• ML service: 2.140

# posted @ 10:28 AM

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