Phillips agree to terms with A's
Posted: Friday December 11, 1998 11:58 PM
OAKLAND, California (AP) -- In the first step in what may be an exchange
of leadoff hitters, the Oakland Athletics
agreed Friday to a one-year contract with outfielder Tony Phillips.
Rickey
Henderson, the A's leadoff hitter last season, has been negotiating
with the New York Mets
Phillips, 39, hit .354 in 13 games with Toronto last season before he was
dealt to New York on July 31. With the Mets, he hit .223 with three home
runs and 14 RBIs in 52 games.
Phillips, who ranks fifth among active players with 1,248 walks, has a
.267 career average and a .375 on-base percentage.
"Tony brings versatility and intensity to the field which we feel will
have a positive impact on our club in 1999," A's general manager Billy
Beane said.
Phillips, unsigned at the start of last season, agreed to a minor-league
contract with Toronto on July 1. He was arrested August 10, 1997. at an
Anaheim, California, motel where police said he was trying to purchase $30
dollars worth of cocaine. He later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor.
The Angels attempted to suspend Phillips but the penalty was overturned
by baseball's arbitration panel. He then became a free agent last December
20 when Anaheim failed to offer him a 1998 contract.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
| 
