DALLAS -- Reliever Jose Mesa agreed Wednesday to a one-year
contract with the Colorado Rockies that guarantees him $2.5
million.
The 39-year-old right-hander was 2-8 with a 4.76 ERA and 27
saves in 55 relief appearances last season, his second with the
Pittsburgh Pirates. Mesa tied a Pirates' record by converting 23
consecutive save chances from Aug. 24, 2004, until last May 15.
"We feel that Mesa brings a tremendous amount of talented
experience to our bullpen," Rockies General Manager Dan O'Dowd
said. "He's pitched in big games and has proven that he is still
very effective."
Mesa is 12th on the career list with 319 saves. He was an
All-Star in 1995 and 1996 with Cleveland, when O'Dowd worked for
the Indians.
Because Mesa wasn't offered salary arbitration by Pittsburgh,
Colorado won't lose any draft picks to the Pirates as compensation.
He gets $2 million next season, and Colorado has a $3 million
option for 2007 with a $500,000 buyout.