Outfielder Ben Grieve wanted some long-term financial security. The Oakland Athletics sought to lock up the 1998 AL Rookie of the Year and gain a measure of cost certainty.
Both sides said they got what they were looking for Friday when Grieve agreed to a $13 million, four-year contract.
Grieve, 23, who would have been eligible for arbitration after this season, said he didn’t want to worry about negotiating his contract on a yearly basis.
He also said he’s unconcerned about the possibility the talent market could take off again in the coming years, leaving him with an undervalued deal.
“It’s always better to have some security and you just go out and play and not worry about hitting 30 home runs or hitting .300 to get X-amount of dollars,” he said. “If I go out and play better than the money I’m getting, that’s just a bonus. I’ll be happy I’m playing better. And if I’m playing worse, I’ll be happy I’m making that much money. So, I’m happy either way.”
Grieve, the fifth Oakland rookie to be picked for an AL All-Star team, hit .288 with 18 home runs and 89 runs batted in in 1998, tying an Oakland record with 41 doubles and setting an Oakland team rookie record for hits, 168.
After a slow start last year, Grieve came back to hit 28 home runs and drove in 86 runs, helping the Athletics stay in the pennant chase until the last couple of weeks of the season.
The former first-round draft pick hit .265 overall last year, but batted .303 over his final 115 games.
He had hit just .131 over his first 33 games.
