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The Diamondbacks increased their contract offer to impending free agent Richie Sexson on Tuesday, informing the first baseman's agent they are willing to give the slugger a three-year deal despite some reservations about his health for next season.
Sexson twice injured his left shoulder early this past season on checked swings and he eventually had surgery to repair a torn labrum. The team had wanted Sexson to consider signing a contract extension based on games played in 2005, and although that still may be part of the package, Sexson now has the security of a three-year deal to ponder.
“It's a significantly improved proposal, which I think Casey (Sexson's agent Casey Close) acknowledged was significantly improved, and he's going to talk to Richie I suspect in the next 24 hours and get back to us,” Diamondbacks General Manager Joe Garagiola Jr. said.
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Garagiola would not divulge any details concerning salary, but added, “I'd like to say the areas we came toward them are the areas I think they had concerns about. We still expressed what our concerns are, but I'd like to think we did that in a way that made this a much more attractive proposal. Time will tell on that.”
Meanwhile, Garagiola, other front-office members and Ken Kendrick, one of the club's general partners, have scheduled second interviews today with two of the team's three finalists for the vacant managerial position: Bob Melvin and Wally Backman. Manny Acta, the other finalist, will get his second interview on Monday.
Melvin is thought to be the favorite, but Backman, who managed Arizona's Class A affiliate in Lancaster, Calif., this past season, also has supporters inside the organization. His stock may have further increased on Tuesday when the New York Mets informed the Diamondbacks they want to interview Backman for their vacant manager's job.
Garagiola said it would be Backman's choice to meet with the Mets.
The Diamondbacks increased their contract offer to impending free agent Richie Sexson on Tuesday, informing the first baseman's agent they are willing to give the slugger a three-year deal despite some reservations about his health for next season.
Sexson twice injured his left shoulder early this past season on checked swings and he eventually had surgery to repair a torn labrum. The team had wanted Sexson to consider signing a contract extension based on games played in 2005, and although that still may be part of the package, Sexson now has the security of a three-year deal to ponder.
“It's a significantly improved proposal, which I think Casey (Sexson's agent Casey Close) acknowledged was significantly improved, and he's going to talk to Richie I suspect in the next 24 hours and get back to us,” Diamondbacks General Manager Joe Garagiola Jr. said.
advertisement
Garagiola would not divulge any details concerning salary, but added, “I'd like to say the areas we came toward them are the areas I think they had concerns about. We still expressed what our concerns are, but I'd like to think we did that in a way that made this a much more attractive proposal. Time will tell on that.”
Meanwhile, Garagiola, other front-office members and Ken Kendrick, one of the club's general partners, have scheduled second interviews today with two of the team's three finalists for the vacant managerial position: Bob Melvin and Wally Backman. Manny Acta, the other finalist, will get his second interview on Monday.
Melvin is thought to be the favorite, but Backman, who managed Arizona's Class A affiliate in Lancaster, Calif., this past season, also has supporters inside the organization. His stock may have further increased on Tuesday when the New York Mets informed the Diamondbacks they want to interview Backman for their vacant manager's job.
Garagiola said it would be Backman's choice to meet with the Mets.
