Outfielder Chris Young has agreed to a five-year contract extension
with a team option for 2014 that is worth about $30 million, a move
that locks up another piece of the Diamondbacks' future.
The contract buys out Young's arbitration years and one year of free
agency, two if the option is exercised. It is similar to the
$32-million deal fellow 2007 rookie Troy Tulowitzki of Colorado signed on Jan.
23.
Young, 24, became the first rookie in major league history with at
least 30 home runs and 25 stolen bases when he had 32 and 27,
respectively, while hitting .327 last season. He was tied for the major league
lead with four home runs after hitting his third in as many games Monday, though
he was surpassed by teammate Mark Reynolds Tuesday night.
"These type of contracts show a lot of commitment on both sides," said general
manager Josh Byrnes. "Clearly, Chris is one of our core players, and his character and talent are both of extreme quality."
Young, 24, led the D-backs with 32 home runs, the seventh-most for a rookie in National League history, and set a
major league record by becoming the first rookie to record a 30-home run, 25-stolen base season. In spending the entire 2007 season in the big leagues for the first time, Young hit .237 (135-for-569) and established franchise rookie records with 85 runs scored, 29 doubles, 32 home runs, .467 slugging percentage, 64 extra-base hits and 27 stolen bases. He led the Majors with nine leadoff home runs, tied for fifth-most in
major league history, and had five games with two home runs.
Young was the centerpiece of one of general manager Josh Byrnes'
first trades, coming to the Diamondbacks with right-handed pitchers Luis Vizcaino and Orlando Hernandez from the Chicago White Sox for right-handed
pitcher Javier Vazquez before the 2006 season. Last season, Young won
BaseballEvolution.com's
58th annual Dave
Kingman Award by doing very little with his 32 home runs.
DIAMONDBACKS 10, DODGERS 5: Doug Davis, two days prior to
surgery on his cancerous thyroid, gave his Diamondbacks a quality start against
the rival Los Angeles Dodgers. The southpaw fanned seven in six innings
while allowing just two runs on six hits and two walks. Mark Reynolds
continued his hot start with another homer and five RBI, giving him the major
league lead in both categories (5, 13). Conor Jackson also drove in three,
and Alexander Romero collected another pinch hit to keep his big league batting
average perfect.
NOTES, QUOTES
--LHP Randy Johnson made his second rehab start at
Class AAA Tucson on Tuesday, and manager Bob Melvin had indicated that if
all went well, Johnson would join the Diamondbacks for an April 14 start at San
Francisco. The Big Unit's six innings of 3-run ball wasn't enough to end the
Sidewinders four-game losing streak, as the bullpen gave up six runs in the 9-7
loss. Johnson went six innings, giving up three runs on three hits and a walk.
He struck out seven in the outing and threw 85 pitches, 58 for strikes.
Randy Johnson is expected to fill Doug Davis' spot in the rotation, with RHP Edgar Gonzalez remaining in the No. 5 spot.
--C Miguel Montero (finger) went 2-for-5 with a home run in an
extended spring-training game Monday in his first live hitting since
suffering a fractured right index finger in winter ball. He has not caught or
thrown in a game, and his target date to return remains May 1.
--LHP Jon Coutlangus was acquired from Cincinnati for minor-league
OF Daniel Perales, and the Diamondbacks immediately optioned Coutlangus
to Class AAA Tucson. A situational reliever, Coutlangus was 4-2 with a
4.39 ERA in 64 games with the Reds last season. He joins major leaguer
Doug Slaten as the only two LHP relievers on the 40-man roster.
BY THE NUMBERS: 9 -- Bases-empty home runs by the Diamondbacks
before Chris Young's two-run homer Saturday, the longest stretch of solo
homers to start a season in the major leagues since Philadelphia opened
the 2001 season with 10.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I don't even think Barry (Bonds) got booed this
much." -- Eric Byrnes, who was booed from pregame warmups through the last
pitch in all three games of the D-Backs' weekend series at Colorado.
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