Thursday, December 20, 2001

Agbayani nets
mammoth increase
with Mets

The outfielder signs a 1-year
deal that could be worth
$950,000 with incentives

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Staff and wire reports

NEW YORK >> Benny Agbayani more than doubled -- and could triple, with incentives -- his yearly income yesterday.

But it was not nearly as important to him as staying with the only major-league organization he has ever been affiliated with.

Agbayani and the New York Mets avoided salary arbitration when they agreed yesterday to a $600,000, one-year contract.

Agbayani, 29, hit .277 with 14 doubles, two triples, six homers and 27 RBIs in 91 games last season. The St. Louis School and Hawaii Pacific product can earn $350,000 in bonuses based on plate appearances: $50,000 each for 300, 350, 400, 450 and 500 plus $100,000 for 550. He made $260,000 last year with only 339 plate appearances.

The Mets had a tentative deal to trade Agbayani's rights to the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants of the Japanese Central League, but it fell through when Agbayani and the Giants could not agree on a contract.

The Yomiuri Shimbun reported yesterday that the Giants pulled out of the Benny sweepstakes in order to sign pitcher Yukinaga Maeda from Chunichi, while the Hochi Shimbun said that Agabayani's asking price of $3.8 million over two years would raise the bar too high for future foreigners.

The signing leaves Agbayani with more competition in spring training, as the Mets have Jay Payton, Timo Perez and Roger Cedeno battling with Agbayani for three outfield spots. Although general manager Steve Phillips says he is still trying to lure a big-name free agent to join them in the outfield, manager Bobby Valentine is happy with the way the offseason has helped his team.

"It's like eating a great dinner and asking the waiter, 'Hey, do you have any great desserts?' " Valentine told the New York Post when asked about his roster. "I'd say, 'Hey, that was a great dinner.' "

Even though the ink on his contract isn't dry yet, Agbayani could still be on his way out.

"We think we still have some things where we could further improve the team within the confines of our budget," Phillips told the New York Times yesterday. "Those are things that we'll pursue and try to put together, and I don't anticipate our being involved in any of the premium free agents, unless something dramatic changes."

Phillips said that if he can't sign free agent Juan Gonzalez, he is looking at trading for Milwaukee's Jeremy Burnitz, Pittsburgh's Brian Giles or San Diego's Bubba Trammell. Agbayani was mentioned in the Trammell deal with Jay Payton, but San Diego was leery of Payton's injury problems.

New York also agreed to minor-league contracts with infielder-outfielder Mark Johnson and left-hander Bobby M. Jones.

Johnson, 35, batted .407 (11-for-27) as a pinch hitter, the top average in the major leagues for pinch hitters with 20 or more plate appearances.