Baseball Guru
01-06-2003, 10:35 PM
Angels, Fullmer agree to deal
By Doug Miller / MLB.com
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Angels' search for a designated hitter to replace non-tendered Brad Fullmer came to a quick close Monday when the club re-signed Fullmer for 2003.
Anaheim announced Monday that the club has agreed to terms on a one-year contract with Fullmer. The Associated Press reported the deal to be worth $1 million.
"We're very happy to have him back," Angels general manager Bill Stoneman said. "We were looking for a left-handed bat, and Brad is a very aggressive guy and a good baserunner. He was a part of last year's club and he's a good offensive player."
Fullmer, 27, joined the Angels in a 2001 offseason trade with Toronto in exchange for right-hander Brian Cooper. He was the starting designated hitter in 89 games with Anaheim (27 starts at first base) and finished the 2002 campaign with a .289 batting average, 35 doubles, six triples, 19 home runs and 59 RBIs in 130 games.
The Chatsworth, Calif., native appeared in 12 of Anaheim's 16 postseason games, primarily as a DH, and hit .294 (10-for-34) with six runs, three doubles, one home run and five RBIs
. But Fullmer, who bats left-handed, never became an everyday player with Anaheim because right-handed hitter Shawn Wooten got many of the DH at-bats against lefty pitchers.
Fullmer was up for arbitration and likely would have gotten a raise, possibly up to the $5 million range, so the Angels did not tender him a contract offer Dec. 20, taking a chance by putting him out on the free agent market, which was saturated with first baseman/DH types.
At the time, Fullmer said he wasn't surprised to learn of the team's decision.
"We didn't negotiate at all, and I never heard from (general manager) Bill (Stoneman), so I figured this would happen," he said.
But Fullmer added that he wasn't bitter and felt that there was a chance he'd return to the Angels.
"I have a lot of good feelings about getting the opportunity to play on a world championship club. A lot of great players play their whole careers without that chance, and I really liked our club and it looks like just about everybody will be back, so I guess I can't rule anything out."
One of the possible reasons the Angels decided to go back to Fullmer was the fact that negotiations with Detroit outfielder Robert Fick fell through.
Fick, a 2002 All-Star who hails from Manhattan Beach, Calif., and is a good friend of Angels second baseman Adam Kennedy, was being pursued by the Angels after becoming a Tigers non-tender free agent. But Fick was promised the everyday first baseman job with Atlanta and signed with the Braves late Sunday night.
In the end, however, Stoneman said Fullmer's enthusiasm for the Angels was the deciding factor.
"Brad was really happy when we acquired him a year ago," Stoneman said. "He was really happy to come here, enjoyed his season here, and wanted to come back. His agent (Arn Tellem) made that very clear. His agent was very aggressive in making sure that the door was still open here. The aggression of the agent, I'm sure, was at the behest of the client."
By Doug Miller / MLB.com
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Angels' search for a designated hitter to replace non-tendered Brad Fullmer came to a quick close Monday when the club re-signed Fullmer for 2003.
Anaheim announced Monday that the club has agreed to terms on a one-year contract with Fullmer. The Associated Press reported the deal to be worth $1 million.
"We're very happy to have him back," Angels general manager Bill Stoneman said. "We were looking for a left-handed bat, and Brad is a very aggressive guy and a good baserunner. He was a part of last year's club and he's a good offensive player."
Fullmer, 27, joined the Angels in a 2001 offseason trade with Toronto in exchange for right-hander Brian Cooper. He was the starting designated hitter in 89 games with Anaheim (27 starts at first base) and finished the 2002 campaign with a .289 batting average, 35 doubles, six triples, 19 home runs and 59 RBIs in 130 games.
The Chatsworth, Calif., native appeared in 12 of Anaheim's 16 postseason games, primarily as a DH, and hit .294 (10-for-34) with six runs, three doubles, one home run and five RBIs
. But Fullmer, who bats left-handed, never became an everyday player with Anaheim because right-handed hitter Shawn Wooten got many of the DH at-bats against lefty pitchers.
Fullmer was up for arbitration and likely would have gotten a raise, possibly up to the $5 million range, so the Angels did not tender him a contract offer Dec. 20, taking a chance by putting him out on the free agent market, which was saturated with first baseman/DH types.
At the time, Fullmer said he wasn't surprised to learn of the team's decision.
"We didn't negotiate at all, and I never heard from (general manager) Bill (Stoneman), so I figured this would happen," he said.
But Fullmer added that he wasn't bitter and felt that there was a chance he'd return to the Angels.
"I have a lot of good feelings about getting the opportunity to play on a world championship club. A lot of great players play their whole careers without that chance, and I really liked our club and it looks like just about everybody will be back, so I guess I can't rule anything out."
One of the possible reasons the Angels decided to go back to Fullmer was the fact that negotiations with Detroit outfielder Robert Fick fell through.
Fick, a 2002 All-Star who hails from Manhattan Beach, Calif., and is a good friend of Angels second baseman Adam Kennedy, was being pursued by the Angels after becoming a Tigers non-tender free agent. But Fick was promised the everyday first baseman job with Atlanta and signed with the Braves late Sunday night.
In the end, however, Stoneman said Fullmer's enthusiasm for the Angels was the deciding factor.
"Brad was really happy when we acquired him a year ago," Stoneman said. "He was really happy to come here, enjoyed his season here, and wanted to come back. His agent (Arn Tellem) made that very clear. His agent was very aggressive in making sure that the door was still open here. The aggression of the agent, I'm sure, was at the behest of the client."