The New York Yankees announced today that they have signed left-handed pitcher Kei Igawa to a five-year contract worth an estimated $20 million. The Yankees won the exclusive rights to negotiate with him on November 28.
Igawa, 27, posted a 14-9 record with a 2.97 ERA in 29 starts with the Hanshin Tigers of the Japanese Central League in 2006 (209.0IP, 180H, 77R, 69ER, 49BB, 194K). He was tied for the lead among all Central League pitchers with his 194 strikeouts, ranked second in the league in wins and complete games (eight), third in innings pitched and ranked seventh with his 2.97 ERA.
On April 14, 2006, Igawa became the fifth-fastest pitcher in Japanese baseball history to record 1,000 career strikeouts (in 1,058 innings pitched). Including 2006, he has now led the Central League in strikeouts three times during his career, having also captured the league strikeout title in 2002 (206 strikeouts) and 2004 (228).
A three-time Central-League All Star (2001, 2002 and 2003), Igawa has won at least 10 games in each of the last five seasons. In 2003, he was named the Central League MVP after going 20-5 with a league-leading 2.80 ERA in 29 games for the Tigers. He was also honored as the co-winner of the prestigious Sawamura Award in 2003, given to the top pitcher in Japanese baseball each year.
Originally selected out of Mito Shogyo High School as Hanshin’s second draft choice in 1997, Igawa owns a career record of 86-60 with a 3.15 ERA and 1,174 strikeouts in 190 appearances.
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Wednesday, December 27
Yankees Officially Ink Igawa
by
Joe Hamrahi
on Wed 27 Dec 2006 08:24 PM EST
White Sox Re-Sign Cintron
by
Joe Hamrahi
on Wed 27 Dec 2006 12:41 PM EST
The Chicago White Sox have agreed to terms on a one-year, $1.9-million contract with infielder Alex Cintron, avoiding arbitration.
Cintron, who turns 28 on December 17, batted .285 (82-288) with five home runs and 41 RBI in 91 games in 2006, his first season with the White Sox. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound switch hitter played in 41 games at shortstop, 26 at second base and 11 at third base. Cintron is a career .280 (480-1,712) hitter with 30 home runs and 193 RBI in 530 games with Arizona (2001-05) and the White Sox (2006). He was acquired by the Sox from the Diamondbacks on March 8, 2006 in exchange for pitcher Jeff Bajenaru. Joe Crede is the White Sox lone remaining arbitration eligible player. |
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