Tigers#1
12-11-2002, 02:27 PM
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Devil Rays have agreed to compensation with the Yokohama Bay Stars of the Japanese League for the rights to first baseman Steve Cox.
Cox still must clear Major League waivers in the next two days but he has reached an agreement with the Bay Stars on a contract, according to Rays general manager Chuck LaMar. He will reportedly make an average of $2.4 million for the next three years.
Cox, 28, hit .254 with 16 home runs and 72 RBIs in 148 games for the Rays in 2002 and was bothered most of the season by an injury to his heel. In 378 career games with Tampa Bay, he hit .261 with 39 home runs and 158 RBIs in 1,239 at-bats. The 6-foot-4 left-hander took over first base full-time when the Rays traded Fred McGriff to the Cubs in July 2001.
Cox was the Rays' 23rd-round pick from the A's organization in the Dec. 1997 Expansion Draft. He had been one of Oakland's top prospects and was named their minor league player of the year in 1995, when he hit .298 with 30 homers and 110 RBIs with Single-A Modesto.
The Rays plan to move Aubrey Huff to first base in 2003 and have either Greg Vaughn or Ben Grieve at designated hitter. Cox was arbitration eligible after last season but the Rays will not retain his rights if he decides to return to the Major Leagues.
The Rays received an undisclosed amount of cash from the Bay Stars for the rights to Cox. LaMar said the additional money might help him fill a need or two at this weekend's Winter Meetings in Nashville, Tenn.
"If this deal is consummated, it will give us some financial flexibility,'' LaMar said.
Cox still must clear Major League waivers in the next two days but he has reached an agreement with the Bay Stars on a contract, according to Rays general manager Chuck LaMar. He will reportedly make an average of $2.4 million for the next three years.
Cox, 28, hit .254 with 16 home runs and 72 RBIs in 148 games for the Rays in 2002 and was bothered most of the season by an injury to his heel. In 378 career games with Tampa Bay, he hit .261 with 39 home runs and 158 RBIs in 1,239 at-bats. The 6-foot-4 left-hander took over first base full-time when the Rays traded Fred McGriff to the Cubs in July 2001.
Cox was the Rays' 23rd-round pick from the A's organization in the Dec. 1997 Expansion Draft. He had been one of Oakland's top prospects and was named their minor league player of the year in 1995, when he hit .298 with 30 homers and 110 RBIs with Single-A Modesto.
The Rays plan to move Aubrey Huff to first base in 2003 and have either Greg Vaughn or Ben Grieve at designated hitter. Cox was arbitration eligible after last season but the Rays will not retain his rights if he decides to return to the Major Leagues.
The Rays received an undisclosed amount of cash from the Bay Stars for the rights to Cox. LaMar said the additional money might help him fill a need or two at this weekend's Winter Meetings in Nashville, Tenn.
"If this deal is consummated, it will give us some financial flexibility,'' LaMar said.