D-Backs, Koplove agree on 2-year, $2 million deal
By Dan Zeiger, Tribune
For the first time in his professional baseball career, Mike Koplove will be a per-season millionaire. The Diamondbacks reliever, who led the team in appearances the last three seasons, avoided arbitration by agreeing to a two-year, $2 million contract on Thursday.
Koplove, a 28-year- old right-hander who has served primarily as a setup man, earns $825,000 this season and $1.175 million in 2006.
The average salary is more than the $970,000 figure Koplove and agent Don Mitchell sought in arbitration.
"It’s exciting. I wanted a two-year deal, just to give myself some security," Koplove said. "I really like pitching in Arizona, and it’s nice to know that I am going to be a part of their plans for the next couple of years."
Pitching in a career-high 76 games in 2004, Koplove posted a 4-4 record with a 4.05 ERA and two saves.
"He is an integral part of our bullpen," general manager Joe Garagiola Jr. said. "This deal puts some stability into Mike’s life and our payroll, and we have a good relief pitcher in the fold for two years."
With Koplove signed, pitcher Casey Fossum is Arizona’s lone arbitration-eligible player. Fossum, whose hearing is scheduled for Feb. 7, submitted a salary proposal of $1.35 million; Arizona countered with $800,000.
Garagiola said he "improved" the D-Backs’ offer during a discussion with Bo McKinnis, Fossum’s agent, on Thursday.
"It wasn’t enough to reach an agreement," Garagiola said, "but we’ll keep working at it."
PRETTY MUCH SET
Although he will never say never, Garagiola said he does not expect Arizona to sign another pitcher before the start of spring training. The current crop of free-agent relievers is thin.
The D-Backs would prefer to have the No. 5 spot in the rotation claimed by one of the young hurlers in camp — Fossum, Michael Gosling, Oscar Villarreal and Brad Halsey are the top candidates.
"It’s a good thing going to camp knowing there’s a job to be won, instead of ‘Well, if there’s an injury, I might get a chance,’ " Garagiola said. "We’ll probably take the young guys to camp and tell them that whoever has the best spring wins the job."
DREW DOINGS
Discussions regarding a deal for 2004 first-round draft choice Stephen Drew remain "internal," Garagiola said.
Arizona would like to have Drew, a shortstop who is one of two unsigned firstrounders, under contract by the start of camp. However, the GM said the team has not set a deadline with Drew and agent Scott Boras.
"I’m not big into hard dates," Garagiola said. "The rules provide the dates themselves. Adding to them isn’t helpful to the negotiation process."
The D-Backs hold the rights to Drew until a week before this year’s June draft. If Drew does not sign, he is eligible to be drafted again.
ON TAP FOR CAMP
Arizona is expected to release a list of spring-training invitees today, and Garagiola said there will be about 20 non-roster players.
Highly touted outfield prospects Conor Jackson and Carlos Quentin are probable invitees. It would be the first big-league camp for the pair, who were both selected in the first round of the 2003 draft.
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