Nomar Garciaparra To Dodgers

[BangTheBook]

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Five-time All-Star Nomar Garciaparra agreed to a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Team spokesman Josh Rawitch said Sunday that Garciaparra passed a physical and will be introduced Monday at a Dodger Stadium news conference.

Garciaparra also considered the New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians and Houston Astros. He spent several hours with Dodgers executives Thursday and Friday -- the first day with agent Arn Tellem, the second with his wife, former soccer star Mia Hamm. Garciaparra and Hamm live in suburban Manhattan Beach.

The 32-year-old Garciaparra was considered one of baseball's best shortstops for several years while playing with the Boston Red Sox, and won the AL batting title in 1997. But his playing time was limited during the past two years because of injuries.

He hit .283 with nine homers and 30 RBIs in 62 games for the Chicago Cubs last season, when he earned $8.25 million. He tore his left groin running out of the batter's box in St. Louis on April 20 and didn't return until Aug. 5.

Garciaparra most likely will play first base or the outfield with the Dodgers. He played mostly third base after returning to the Cubs last August. New Dodgers GM Ned Colletti said Garciaparra seemed open to changing positions during his meetings late last week.

Colletti has had a busy December, hiring manager Grady Little and adding three free agents -- shortstop Rafael Furcal, third baseman Bill Mueller and Garciaparra. Mueller also won a batting title while playing for the Red Sox, in 2003.

Garciaparra played under Little in 2002-03 with the Red Sox, and was teammates with pitcher Derek Lowe and Mueller in Boston. Lowe signed a four-year contract with the Dodgers last winter.

Garciaparra played his entire career for the Red Sox until being traded to the Cubs in July 2004.

Colletti has also made it clear he's interested in acquiring outfield help, a left-handed reliever and a starter.
The Dodgers went 71-91 last season, their second-poorest record since moving from Brooklyn in 1958. The team parted ways with manager Jim Tracy on Oct. 3 -- the day after the season ended -- and fired general manager Paul DePodesta on Oct. 29.