Tigers, Valverde finalize contract
Posted by GameSetMatch on January 19th, 2010
Reliever Jose Valverde and the Detroit Tigers finalized their $14 million, two-year contract on Tuesday.
The agreement, which was reached last week pending a physical, includes a $9 million option for 2012.
Valverde saved 25 games in 29 chances for the Houston Astros last year before filing for free agency. The 30-year-old right-hander was 4-2 with a 2.33 ERA. Valverde led the NL in saves with Arizona in 2007 and Houston in 2008.
Detroit needed a closer after choosing not to re-sign Fernando Rodney and Brandon Lyon.
“We think Jose is one of the premier closers in the game,” Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski said. “He addresses to us what was our biggest need on our ballclub and gives us a chance, we think, to have a very solid pitching staff.”
Rodney received an $11 million, two-year contract from the Los Angeles Angels, and Lyon signed with Houston for $15 million over three season.
Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com
