Francis Gets Four Yr Deal

[love_that_reefer]

Pitcher Jeff Francis has reached agreement on a four-year, $13.25 million contract with the Colorado Rockies, a source told ESPN.com. The contract includes a fifth-year club option that could bring the total value of the deal to more than $20 million.

Francis, a 25-year-old left-hander, is 30-25 with a 4.91 ERA in parts of three seasons with Colorado. He led the Rockies with 13 victories this year, and his 199 innings pitched were the third most on the staff behind Aaron Cook and Jason Jennings.

Francis, a native of British Columbia, was Colorado's first pick and the ninth choice overall in the 2002 draft.

His contract appears to mark a new direction for the Rockies, who traditionally have not signed players to long-term deals as they enter their salary arbitration years. Francis will be eligible for arbitration after the 2007 season.

He's 25 and should get better plus he doesnt make that much.

[General]

It's only thru his arby years though, right? So the Rocks just spread it out evenly and prevent any sick arby numbers from spiking his salary.

[realmofotalk]

They signed him before he accumulates more baseball humidor-inflated stats.