LAKELAND, Fla. -- The Detroit Tigers were desperate the past
two winters to add stars to spur their turnaround and failed to
acquire many of the players they wanted.
Undaunted, Detroit signed Ivan Rodriguez and Magglio Ordonez to
contracts with rare language that protected the organization just
in case either player missed a lot of games because of a previous
injury.
"We're not at the point where typically players are flocking to
play for us, unfortunately," said Tigers vice president John
Westhoff, who negotiates contracts for the team. "So, we've had to
be creative the past couple of years to try to turn this club
around."
Ordonez signed a $75 million, five-year contract last month. The
four-time All-Star outfielder could make as much as $105 million
over seven seasons under the complicated deal, or as little as $6
million for one year.
Detroit can void the contract after the 2005 season if Ordonez
has a reoccurrence of the left knee injury that hampered his
production with the Chicago White Sox for most of last year, and if
the reoccurrence lands him on the disabled list for 25 days or
more.
"The team wanted some protection because of my knee and I had
no problem with that because I know I'm going to be healthy,"
Ordonez said. "It was a good contract for me, and the Tigers."
Rodriguez signed a $40 million, four-year deal last year with
Detroit, which has three outs in the contract.
If Rodriguez went on the DL for 35 or more days last year, or
does in 2005 because of a lower spine injury, the Tigers could void
the rest of the contract by paying a $5 million buyout. If the
11-time All-Star catcher goes on the DL for 35 or more days next
season because of a lower spine injury, the Tigers could terminate
the deal with a $4 million buyout.
Only two other major contracts, at least in recent years, have
similar language. Kevin Millwood signed a $7 million, one-year
contract -- with $3 million guaranteed -- in January with Cleveland
and Jaret Wright signed a $21 million, three-year deal with the New
York Yankees that also gives the club an out.
Millwood, who had elbow problems last year, will make $7 million
this season only if he doesn't spend more than 20 days on the DL
for a shoulder or elbow injury sustained while pitching.
"It was definitely the best offer I got," Millwood has said.
If Wright is on the disabled list because of a shoulder injury
for a combined 75 days or more during the first two years of his
deal, the Yankees can opt out of his $7 million salary for 2007 and
pay a $4 million buyout.
Though all four contracts appear to be a win-win deals for the
players and the teams, such agreements are rare in baseball.
"There is a provision in the collective bargaining agreement,
that predates free agency, that states clubs can't put clauses in a
contract that are not an actual or potential benefit for the
player," Westhoff said. "That has been interpreted in numerous
arbitration hearings in the players' favor.
"Some might argue, 'Well, that was the best offer he had.' But
it doesn't work that way -- unless you get the union's prior
approval."
Though the Tigers agreed to terms with both Ordonez and
Rodriguez and had them pass physicals, the players didn't sign
contracts until the team checked with the players' association to
make sure it wouldn't challenge the deals.
"In each case, the Tigers asked us to look at the particulars
of each contract to see if we could resolve any potential
disputes," said Michael Weiner, the union's general counsel.
Westhoff said the Tigers were fortunate to get the union's
blessing for both deals.
"I think the concern from the union's perspective is, if it
makes one exception, then two and three, it could become the
norm," he said. "I don't think you're going to see too many more
deals like these."