NEW YORK — The Detroit Tigers snared the last remaining premiere free agent of the off-season, agreeing to a $75-million, five-year contract with outfielder Magglio Ordonez, a baseball source said Saturday.
Ordonez's deal could be worth up to $105 million over seven seasons, the source told Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.
Under the complicated deal, Detroit would have the right to void the contract after the 2005 season if Ordonez has a reoccurrence of the knee injury that hampered his production with the Chicago White Sox most of last year and it lands him on the disabled list for 25 days or more.
The 31-year-old Ordonez gets a $6-million signing bonus and a $6-million salary in 2005.
His contract calls for a $15-million salary in 2006, escalating to $18 million by 2009. Detroit has options for 2010 and 2011.
