SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic -- Free-agent outfielder
Moises Alou escaped injury when his car hit a pothole and
momentarily spun out of control.
Alou was driving alone Saturday night in Santo Domingo, where he
lives in the offseason.
"I'm grateful that everybody worries about me, but thank God
I'm OK," he told The Associated Press on Sunday. "Two of the
tires blew out and I had to call for help to tow it. There was not
a crash or any injuries."
Alou hit 39 home runs with 106 RBI last season with the Chicago
Cubs. The Mets made Alou an offer about two weeks ago, general
manager Omar Minaya told the AP on Friday after a news conference
announcing a $53 million, four-year deal with Dominican pitcher
Pedro Martinez.
The left fielder has spent seasons 13 seasons in the major
leagues with five teams. He has batted .300 with 278 home runs and
1,092 RBI with Pittsburgh, Montreal, Florida, Houston and the
Cubs, winning a World Series ring with the Marlins in 1997.
The Cubs declined an $11.5 million mutual option on Alou, and
the decision to not bring him back was hardly a surprise. Although
Alou topped 100 RBI for the fifth time and said he wanted to
return to Chicago, the Cubs were looking for a younger and cheaper
player as they remake their roster after a late-season collapse
that cost them a playoff spot.
He hit .283 with 76 home runs and 258 RBI in three seasons with
the Cubs.
"To go somewhere else is going to be tough," Alou said at the
end of the season.