Rockies and Melvin Mora agree to one-year deal
By John Livingston | January 31, 2010
The Colorado Rockies and infielder Melvin Mora agreed to a one-year, $1.3-million deal today, and the veteran will serve as a backup at second and third base as well as a right-handed pinch hitter.
The Rockies were quick to make the deal with Mora after fellow free-agent Orlando Cabrera accepted the Cincinnati Reds‘ one-year $3-million contract to be their starting shortstop. If he would have accepted a similar contract with the Rockies he would have competed at second base with Clint Barmes and third base with Ian Stewart for starting time. Clearly Cabrera, a shortstop by trade, was enticed by the opportunity to start at shortstop for the Reds, something the Rockies could not offer with Troy Tulowitzki holding down the position.
Now Mora, the 2004 American League Silver Slugger and two-time All-Star, could compete for the starting job with Barmes at second.
Mora, a native of Venezuela, began his pro-career in 1999 with the New York Mets. He spent the majority of his career with the Baltimore Orioles and the Mets and has spent the last nine seasons in Baltimore.
He is a life-time .278 at the plate and has averaged 19 home-run’s and 80 RBI’s per every 162 games. In 2009, he hit .260 with eight home runs and 48 RBI’s in 125 games.
Mora brings even more depth to the Rockies, who re-signed Jason Giambi who only plays first-base when playing the field. While Giambi will be a big help in filling Garrett Atkins old job of giving extra days off to Todd Helton, he, unlike Atkins, cannot also fill in at third base. This meant the Rockies needed to add another all-around utility infielder, and signing an experienced guy like Mora seems to be a perfect fit.
“Versatility is the key term…we needed a guy who can play a couple of spots,” Rockies manager Jim Tracy said last week.
Mora will look to help to get the Rockies back into the post-season in 2010, somewhere he has not been since his first year in 1999.
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