PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- The Philadelphia Phillies exercised a $4.5 million 2002 contract option Thursday on lefthander Omar Daal.
The Phillies had the option of buying out the contract for $500,000, but decided to keep the 29-year-old Daal, who along with Brandon Duckworth (25), Randy Wolf (25) and Nelson Figueroa (27) is a main part of the team's future.
Daal was the Opening Day starter for the Phillies in 2001 and won his first six decisions before falling at Montreal on June 3. He finished 13-7, the second-highest win total in his 10-year career, with a 4.46 ERA in 32 starts.
Although he went just 4-5 after the All-Star break, Daal had a 0.90 ERA over his last three starts and left-handed batters hit just .214 against him. His 185 2/3 innings pitched were also the second-highest total of his career.
On May 6, Daal became the first Phillies pitcher in over 11 years to record two hits in an inning with a pair of singles, two RBI and two runs scored in a nine-run frame against the San Francisco Giants.
A native of Venezuela, Daal is 52-57 in 325 career appearances, including 121 starts, with a 4.50 ERA for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1993-95), Montreal Expos (1996-97), Toronto Blue Jays (1997), Arizona Diamondbacks (1998-2000) and Phillies (2000-01).
He was part of the July 26, 2000 deal that sent Curt Schilling to Arizona.
