Pirates, Doumit reach 3-year deal
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Catcher Ryan Doumit and the Pittsburgh Pirates agreed Monday to an $11.5 million, three-year contract that includes a club option that could make the deal worth $26.5 million over five seasons.
Doumit reached the deal less than a year after becoming the Pirates’ starting catcher. He hit .318 with 15 home runs and 69 RBIs in 431 at-bats after beating out former starter Ronny Paulino early in the season.
Doumit’s 15 homers were the most by a Pirates catcher since Mark Parent hit 15 in 1995 and were two off the club record. His .323 average while catching led the National League and his .407 average with runners in scoring position was easily the best in the league by a player with more than 100 at-bats.
Earlier this month, the Pirates traded Paulino to the Philadelphia Phillies for catching prospect Jason Jaramillo. Paulino spent most of last season in the minors.
The 27-year-old Doumit made $412,000 in 2008. Before last season, he was a part-time player who averaged 211 at-bats from 2005-07. Manager John Russell, a former catcher hired before last season, liked Doumit’s bat and worked with him all season to improve his defense and his handling of pitchers.
Pittsburgh must decide after the 2011 season whether to exercise the option covering both 2012 and 2013.
“With a contract like this comes high expectations,” Doumit said at a news conference. “No one has higher expectations of me than I do. I believe in myself. I know what kind of player I can be and I know what type of player the fans expect.”
And what his boss expects, too.
“He has positioned himself as a key piece as we move forward,” said general manager Neal Huntington, who said the contract “has raised the bar in our eyes, the fans’ eyes and in Ryan’s eyes.”
The Pirates agreed to the deal despite Doumit’s history of injuries. Doumit was out for three weeks last season with a thumb injury and concussion, was limited to one game during the final seven weeks of the 2007 season (wrist, ankle), sat out half the 2006 season (hamstring) and played in only 67 games for Double-A Altoona in 2004 (elbow).
Doumit gets a $300,000 signing bonus, $2.05 million next season, $3.55 million in 2010 and $5.1 million in 2011. The deal includes a $7.25 million club option for 2012 with a $500,000 buyout, and exercising that option also triggers an $8.25 million option for 2013.
The price of option years could escalate by up to $1 million each depending on whether he makes All-Star teams or is voted Silver Slugger awards.
Originally from Moses Lake, Wash., Doumit became the first of the Pirates’ seven arbitration-eligible players to reach contract terms. Left-hander Paul Maholm may sign a multiyear deal, but center fielder Nate McLouth, first baseman Adam LaRoche, left-hander Zach Duke, left-hander John Grabow and right-hander Tyler Yates are expected to sign one-year contracts.
Doumit’s agreement was first reported by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Meanwhile, the Pirates invited outfielder Jeff Salazar, infelders Andy Phillips and Garrett Jones and right-handers Chris Bootcheck and Denny Bautista to spring training as non-roster players. Bautista spent part of last season with the Pirates and was 4-3 in 35 games.
Salazar hit .211 in 90 games with Arizona but had 10 pinch hits. Mateo, formerly of the Cubs, was 8-1 with five saves for three minor league clubs, including Double-A Altoona. Phillips hit .231 in 56 games with the Reds and Mets.
Since Huntington and team president Frank Coonelly took over late in the 2007 season, the Pirates have signed Doumit, second baseman Freddy Sanchez, closer Matt Capps and right-hander Ian Snell to multiyear contracts.