December 8, 200421 yr Phillies sign RHP Jon Lieber to three-year contract Phillies Media Relations Free agent pitcher Jon Lieber, who won 14 games for the New York Yankees last season, has signed a three-year contract with the Phillies, General Manager Ed Wade announced today. The 34-year-old right-hander will receive a three-year, $21 million guaranteed contract: $1 million signing bonus, $5,250,000 for 2005, $7,250,000 for 2006 and $7,500,000 for 2007. The contract includes award bonuses. "Jon is a solid, experienced starting pitcher who is a great competitor," said Wade. "He rebounded in 2004 and helped the Yankees during both the regular season and playoffs. Jon's been an All-Star, a 20-game winner and a workhorse throughout his career. We're very pleased to have him in our rotation." Lieber posted a 14-8 record and 4.33 ERA in 27 starts in 2004. He ranked first in the American League with 0.9 walks per nine innings (18 walks in 176.2 innings). He was 5-0 with a 3.12 ERA in his final six starts and won seven of his last eight decisions. His 14 wins ranked eighth in the American League and his .636 winning percentage was seventh. For his major league career, Lieber is 100-91 with a 4.20 ERA in 299 games (252 starts). In 1,687.0 innings, he has walked just 329. His 100th win came against the Minnesota Twins last September 29. Lieber's career 1.76 walks per nine innings ratio ranks second only to Brad Radke (1.68) among pitchers with 1,500 or more innings pitched. His 3.71 strikeouts to walks ratio trails only Pedro Martinez (4.31) and Curt Schilling (4.30), also among pitchers with 1,500 or more innings. During this fall's American League Division Series against the Minnesota Twins, Lieber had a no-decision as a starter in Game 2, allowing three runs on seven hits in 6.2 innings. The Yankees won, 7-6, in 12 innings. In the ALCS, he was 1-1 with a 3.14 ERA for two starts, a 3-1 win in Game 2 and a 4-2 loss in Game 6. Overall, he was 1-1 for three post-season starts with a 3.43 ERA, 21.0 innings, 19 hits, 8 runs, 2 walks, 9 strikeouts. Lieber missed the first 23 games of last season with a strained abductor muscle in his right thigh. Following a rehab start with the Tampa Yankees, Lieber was reinstated from the disabled list on May 1. His 12-4 win over the Kansas City Royals was his first in the majors since June 21, 2002, when he was with the Chicago Cubs. A 20-game winner and National League All-Star with the Cubs in 2001, Lieber didn't pitch at all in the majors during the 2003 season following "Tommy John" reconstructive surgery on his right elbow on August 8, 2002. The Yankees signed him to a two-year contract on January 24, 2003, with a club option for a third year. The Yankees declined his 2005 option on November 5 but did offer arbitration, meaning the Phillies will not have a first-round selection in next year's first-year player draft. Lieber was the Opening Day pitcher for the Cubs in 2002, his fifth career Opening Day start and third consecutive. He finished fourth in the National League Cy Young Award voting following his 20-win season. In 2000, Lieber was 12-11 with the Cubs and led the NL in starts (35) and innings pitched (251.0). In addition to the Yankees and Cubs, he has pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates in the majors. Originally a second-round selection by Kansas City in 1991, Lieber pitched for the Wilmington Blue Rocks in 1993 (9-3, 2.67 ERA). http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/NASAp...s_phi&fext=.jsp
December 8, 200421 yr That rotation is a collection of 3 hole guys...I don't know what they're doing.
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