12-16-2002, 05:01 PM
well one thing the mets should be happy about is they might take advantage of a yankee mistake in signing mike stanton which appears very likely right now.
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Edited By Teenweek on 1040058219
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Quote:Mets sign former Yankee to three-year, $9M deal
Associated Press
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Mike Stanton will stay in New York after all, agreeing to a $9 million, three-year contract with the New York Mets on Monday.
Stanton, a stalwart in the Yankees' bullpen for six seasons, will move across town in the Mets' second free-agent signing of the offseason. Stanton will join former Atlanta teammate Tom Glavine at Shea Stadium next season. Glavine signed a $35 million, three-year deal earlier this month.
Stanton and Glavine have a history of success -- they are the only two players to play in every postseason since 1991. That's important for the Mets, who finished in last place this year.
The Yankees, the team Stanton helped to three World Series titles and four AL pennants, had given him only 15 minutes to accept a $4.6 million, two-year contract.
When Stanton didn't respond to the ultimatum, the Yankees didn't offer him salary arbitration Dec. 7. Stanton then began negotiating with other teams before deciding to join the Mets.
The deal was completed at 5 a.m. Monday by Stanton's agents Sam and Seth Levinson and Keith Miller and was to be finalized after the pitcher took a physical later in the day.
He will make yearly salaries of $2 million, $3 million and $4 million.
Because he wanted to stay in New York, Stanton got a full no-trade clause from the Mets. Stanton would have been able to block deals if he had stayed with the Yankees because he was a 10-year veteran who had been with his team for at least five years.
The Mets let lefty Mark Guthrie go earlier this offseason and needed another left-hander in the bullpen. John Franco is recovering from elbow surgery, and rookie Jaime Cerda is the only other lefty reliever the Mets have.
This was the second move made by the Mets at the winter meetings. On Sunday, they traded problem shortstop Rey Ordonez to Tampa Bay for two players to be named.
Stanton, 35, was the Yankees' left-handed setup man during World Series-winning seasons in 1998, 1999 and 2000. He was a key to keeping their fragile bullpen together this year, when closer Mariano Rivera went on the disabled list three times.
Stanton went 7-1 with a 3.00 ERA and six saves in 79 games and became an All-Star for the first time.
He has been one of the most durable relievers in the game, making a major league-high 669 appearances the past 10 years.
His 20 World Series appearances rank second in baseball history, two behind Whitey Ford, and he has a 1.54 ERA in the Series.
Stanton spent nine years in the Braves' organization after turning pro in 1987, then pitched briefly for Boston and Texas before signing with the Yankees.
He lives year-round in New Jersey with wife, Debbie, and three children.
Edited By Teenweek on 1040058219