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Friday, 21 January 2011 21:42 |
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By David Wu The New York Yankees have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with five-time National League All-Star Andruw Jones who will serve as back-up to all three outfield positions.
Jones will receive a base salary of $2 million and can earn an additional $1.2 million in performance incentives according to agent Scott Boras. The 33-year-old outfielder hit .230 last season for the Chicago White Sox with 19 home runs and 48 RBI’s. Jones has a career .256 batting average and although is known better for his glove, could add a solid right handed bat in the line-up as a back-up to Brett Gardner, Curtis Granderson and Nick Swisher in the Yankees outfield. Jones was originally drafted as an amateur free agent in 1993 by the Atlanta Braves. He made he major league debut in 1996 and quickly became an everyday outfielder. During his 12 seasons with Atlanta, Jones won ten consecutive Gold Glove Awards and currently owns a .990 career fielding percentage. In his 15-year career, Jones has played for the Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers and Texas Rangers before signing with the Yankees and has compiled a total of 2,025 games played with 407 home runs and 1,222 career RBI’s. With the additions of Rafael Soriano, Pedro Feliciano, Russell Martin and now Jones, the Yankees feel the final pieces are falling into place for the 2011 season. Now the Yankees hope Jones can turn back the clock and become the player he once was with the Atlanta Braves. |
