Big Landings for 1997

It's the 1997 off-season, and it started off with a bang when Ken Griffey, Jr signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates, on a 7-year deal worth $52.4 million. Griffey looks to help the Pirates rebound, who lost Barry Bonds to free agency last season when he opted out of his contract and landed with the division rival Montreal Expos.

The Pirates fell to 4th place with a 74-88 record last season, after two division titles in 1990 & 1991 and five consecutive 90+ win seasons from 1990-1994.

Other signings & trades...

• Ellis Burks resigns with the Chicago White Sox for 4 years, $27.6 million ($6.9 per year).
• Todd Hundley resigned with the New York Mets for 5 years, $29.14 million ($5.828 per year).
• Jeff Bagwell signs with the California Angels for 4 years, $28 million ($7.0 per year).

• Andres Galarraga leaves the Montreal Expos, where he spent 11 of his last 12 seasons, signing a 3-year deal worth $18.7 million.

• Tony Gwynn signs with the Baltimore Orioles for $14.1 million over 3 seasons. "Mr. Padre" joins his 4th team in this alternate reality, after reaching two World Series over three seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays, and one lone season in Detroit (1993).

• Charlie Leibrandt, age 40, signs 2-year deal with Yankees for $7.92 million ($3.96 per year).
• Jeff Fassero, the reigning N.L. Cy Young & N.L. MVP winner, signs 5-year deal worth $39.5 million ($7.9 million per year).

• Larry Walker returns to Canada, as Oakland trades him in a blockbuster deal for second baseman Roberto Alomar and SP Derek Lowe; Toronto recently acquired Lowe from Seattle in a deal barely two weeks prior.

• The computer lost its damn mind when it had Baltimore trade Cal Ripken, Jr to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for prospects LF Roberto Mendez and RP Jay Tessmer.

• The Detroit Tigers traded LF Gregg Jefferies to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for catcher Paul Lo Duca & RP-Bobby Ayala.

• The Boston Red Sox signed OF-Gary Sheffield to a 7-year deal worth $57.1 million.
• The Montreal Expos signed 3B-Robin Ventura to a 4-year, $29.9 million.

• The Baltimore Orioles traded OF-Dante Bichette to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for 1B-George Arias, 2B-Mark Bellhorn & minor league catcher Kirk Pierce.

• Baltimore acquired 2B Bret Boone via Rule Draft 5 from the Atlanta Braves (my Braves kind of goofed that one up).

• The Atlanta Braves signed CF-Steve Finley to a 4-year deal worth $20.8 million ($5.2 million per year). The Braves traded OF-Brian McRae the next day to the New York Yankees in exchange for OF-Ruben Rivera and minor league pitcher Matt Kinney.