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Outfielder J.D. Drew and the Los Angeles Dodgers have reached a preliminary agreement on a $55 million, five-year contract.
Drew's contract is contingent on him passing a physical exam, which is scheduled for Thursday, a person involved in the negotiations said on condition of anonymity.
Los Angeles scheduled a news conference for Thursday to introduce a player but would not confirm that it was Drew. The agreement was first reported Wednesday by The Record of Hackensack, N.J.
Drew, 29, played in a career-high 145 games for the Atlanta Braves last season, hitting .305 and setting career highs with 31 homers, 128 runs and 118 walks. He also had 93 RBI and 12 outfield assists.
He helped the Braves win the NL East and was sixth in the NL MVP voting.
Drew had never played in more than 135 games in a season before last year because of injuries.
His best prior season was in 2001, when he hit .323 with 27 homers and 73 RBIs in 109 games for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Drew played six seasons with the Cardinals before he was dealt to the Braves last December along with catcher-outfielder Eli Marrero for pitchers Jason Marquis, Ray King and Adam Wainwright.
Drew will receive a $2 million signing bonus and a $9 million salary next season. He will earn $11 million annually in the final four seasons.
The left handed-hitting Drew is expected to play right field for the Dodgers. That would put Shawn Green at first base, assuming he's not traded. Green played first base for the most part last year -- his first season at that position.
Green, who will earn $16 million next season to complete an $84 million, six-year contract, was part of a proposed three-team, 10-player trade that collapsed Tuesday when the Dodgers backed out. He had been scheduled to go to the Arizona Diamondbacks, who were going to send Randy Johnson to the New York Yankees.
As things now stand, the Dodgers will have a lineup with home run punch at several positions next season. Green hit 28 homers -- 18 after the All-Star break. Newcomers Jeff Kent (second base) hit 27 for the Houston Astros last season and Jose Valentin (third base) hit 30 for the Chicago White Sox.
Among the returnees, left fielder Jason Werth hit 16 homers in just 290 official at-bats last season and center fielder Milton Bradley hit 19.
Source: AP
Drew's contract is contingent on him passing a physical exam, which is scheduled for Thursday, a person involved in the negotiations said on condition of anonymity.
Los Angeles scheduled a news conference for Thursday to introduce a player but would not confirm that it was Drew. The agreement was first reported Wednesday by The Record of Hackensack, N.J.
Drew, 29, played in a career-high 145 games for the Atlanta Braves last season, hitting .305 and setting career highs with 31 homers, 128 runs and 118 walks. He also had 93 RBI and 12 outfield assists.
He helped the Braves win the NL East and was sixth in the NL MVP voting.
Drew had never played in more than 135 games in a season before last year because of injuries.
His best prior season was in 2001, when he hit .323 with 27 homers and 73 RBIs in 109 games for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Drew played six seasons with the Cardinals before he was dealt to the Braves last December along with catcher-outfielder Eli Marrero for pitchers Jason Marquis, Ray King and Adam Wainwright.
Drew will receive a $2 million signing bonus and a $9 million salary next season. He will earn $11 million annually in the final four seasons.
The left handed-hitting Drew is expected to play right field for the Dodgers. That would put Shawn Green at first base, assuming he's not traded. Green played first base for the most part last year -- his first season at that position.
Green, who will earn $16 million next season to complete an $84 million, six-year contract, was part of a proposed three-team, 10-player trade that collapsed Tuesday when the Dodgers backed out. He had been scheduled to go to the Arizona Diamondbacks, who were going to send Randy Johnson to the New York Yankees.
As things now stand, the Dodgers will have a lineup with home run punch at several positions next season. Green hit 28 homers -- 18 after the All-Star break. Newcomers Jeff Kent (second base) hit 27 for the Houston Astros last season and Jose Valentin (third base) hit 30 for the Chicago White Sox.
Among the returnees, left fielder Jason Werth hit 16 homers in just 290 official at-bats last season and center fielder Milton Bradley hit 19.
Source: AP