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Saturday, January 6, 2001

Suzuki’s three-year
deal worth $14 million

Japan's batting star, a former
Hawaii Winter Baseball player, is
the first non-pitcher to make the
move to the major leagues

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By Ronald Blum
Associated Press

NEW YORK -- Ichiro Suzuki is costing the Seattle Mariners more than $27 million.

After paying just over $13 million to get the rights to the outfielder, the Mariners agreed to pay him $14,088,000 in the next three seasons.

Suzuki, a seven-time batting champion in Japan, gets a $5 million signing bonus and salaries of $4 million in 2001, $2 million in 2002 and $3 million in 2003, according to contract details obtained by The Associated Press.

Ichiro Suzuki
SEATTLE MARINERS
Played one year in the Hawaii
Winter Baseball league.

In 1993, Suzuki played one season in Hawaii Winter Baseball with the Hilo Stars and won the batting title.

The right fielder, who joins AL Rookie of the Year Kazuhiro Sasaki on the Mariners, can earn an additional $5 million in performance bonuses.

He also gets a $10,000 moving allowance and housing allowances of $25,000 in 2001, $26,000 in 2002 and $27,000 in 2003.

According to the contract, Seattle must provide him with a car during spring training and the regular season, an interpreter, a personal trainer and four round-trip, first-class plane tickets from Japan to Seattle twice a year.

But the Mariners will be able to defer about half the money it pays to Suzuki, with interest: $4 million of the signing bonus, $2 million of this year's salary and $1 million of his salary in 2003.

After Suzuki said he wanted to play in the major leagues, the commissioner's office put his rights up for auction, and the Mariners submitted the high bid, agreeing to pay the Orix Blue Wave of Japan's Pacific League $13,125,000 for his rights.

While many Japanese pitchers have made the jump to the majors, Suzuki will be the first position player.

A career .357 hitter, Suzuki can earn an extra $2 million this year, getting $400,000 each for 200, 250, 300, 350 and 450 plate appearances. While there aren't any performance bonuses available in 2002, he can earn an additional $3 million in 2003: $600,000 each for 200, 250, 300, 350 and 450 plate appearances.

There are many other incentives included in the contract.

Sasaki, who saved 37 games for Seattle last year, agreed to a $9,040,000, two-year contract before the 2000 season, in a deal that includes a $5 million team option for 2002.