Baseball Notebook | $90 million makes Hunter an Angel
ANAHEIM, Calif. - The Los Angeles Angels snagged a coveted free agent when they agreed to terms with center fielder Torii Hunter on a five-year, $90 million contract late Wednesday night.
The Angels also put themselves in better position to land a player such as Florida Marlins slugger Miguel Cabrera or Baltimore Orioles shortstop Miguel Tejada.
Angels general manager Tony Reagins indicated Thursday that the addition of Hunter, a seven-time Gold Glove Award winner who hit .287 with 28 home runs and drove in 107 runs for the Minnesota Twins this year, would not preclude the Angels from pursuing another slugger.
“All I can say is, I’m going to be looking at some other things to make us better,” Reagins said. “The winter meetings are coming up, and I’m sure we’ll have more discussions. I’m going to be open-minded.”
By signing Hunter, 32, the Angels can more easily absorb the loss of hard-hitting second baseman Howie Kendrick, a player the Marlins reportedly are insisting be part of a trade with the Angels for Cabrera. Florida reportedly would also like catcher Jeff Mathis, pitching prospect Nick Adenhart and one of the Angels’ three young starters, Ervin Santana, Jered Weaver or Joe Saunders.
The Angels don’t really want to trade Kendrick, a line-drive producer who hit .322 in 88 games this year. But they would part with Kendrick if he helped net Cabrera, a 24-year-old third baseman who is one of the game’s premier power hitters.
Third baseman Chone Figgins would move to second.
If the Angels can’t hook Cabrera, they could turn back to Tejada and probably would move him to third base.
Tejada, 31, could be acquired without giving up Kendrick.
Note
• According to multiple reports, the Chicago White Sox and reliever Scott Linebrink, 31, have agreed on a four-year, $19 million deal. Linebrink pitched for San Diego and Milwaukee this year and had a 3.71 earned-run average.