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It is official: Ex-Atlanta Braves superstar Andruw Jones has officially signed with the New York Yankees.
MLB Trade Rumors is reporting a one-year deal at $2MM bucks with performance incentives worth another $1.2MM for 2011.
Jones has a career batting average of .256 with 407 home-runs and 1,222 RBIs.
This is agent Scott Boras’ second signing in the Bronx this week, as closer Rafael Soriano signed for three years worth $35MM, but he can opt out of the contract at the end of 2011 or 2012 and it doesn’t include a no trade clause.
Soriano was the best closer in the American League last season posting a 1.73 ERA and had 45 saves in 2010.
Soriano will set-up for Mariano Rivera, a job he feels is an absolute privilege.
This was a solid pick-up by Hal Steinbrenner and President Randy Levine, who took the reigns from GM Brian Cashman to get the deal done.
Getting back to Jones, who indisputably was one of the best players in baseball for almost a decade.
Just to get some perspective on how good, in 2005 Jones hit 51 home-runs and 128 RBIs. In the following season Jones’ bat posted 41 bombs and 129 RBIs. Jones also earned a Silver Slugger and Hank Aaron Award in 2005 and two of his 10 Gold Gloves for prevailing defense as an outfielder.
Jones was an absolute monster, as those numbers are so nasty it is to the point of almost unbelievable.
Please realize that this is not the Jones the Yankees just signed. Super Agent Boras had to do cartwheels to get over $2MM and possibly more, for a player who has fallen like Jones.
Just looking at his seasonal stats, it is easy to see that when the Braves ousted Jones is when his real struggles began.
Here is a little history on Mr. Jones:
Jones signed with the Atlanta Braves when he was just 16. He spent his first 12-seasons in Atlanta. In 2007, the Braves did not renew Jones’ contract.
Jones had no home pre-2008 season, until signing a two-year, $34MM contract to go play for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
That love affair ended after one season, as Jones showed up overweight, out-of-shape and posted a .158 batting average. Clearly, Jones was not interested in being a Dodger and the feeling was mutual.
This left Jones homeless once again. His best offer was a minor league deal to play for the Texas Rangers in 2009. Jones had no other options, but after showing up fat and not fit, Texas decided not to keep him either.
As a Ranger, Jones played in 82 games, posting a batting average of .222 and slamming 17 home-runs.
Still, this was a 10-time gold glove winner, who was still productive as recently as two years prior making teams wonder what was going on, because Jones was just 31 years old.
Next up was the Chicago White Sox, who felt that $500,000 was little to lose if they could get Jones close to his old self. Jones signed another one-year deal in 2010, making Chicago his third home in three seasons.
Jones came to White Sox spring training 30 pounds lighter and in shape, which is a positive change. Under the leadership of skipper Ozzie Guillen, Jones hit 19 home runs, 48 RBIs, in 278 at bats and played in 107 games, the most games Jones had played in since 2007.
Jones also had career milestone while in Chicago, hitting home-run #400 on July 11th. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Without Risk There Is No Reward, So Get To Know Andruw Jones’ »
