CHICAGO, Jan. 14 (UPI) -- The Chicago Cubs added an outstanding defensive outfielder on Monday when they signed Darren Lewis to a one-year contract.
The 34-year-old Lewis hit. 280 -- a full 30 points better than his lifetime average -- in 82 games with the Boston Red Sox last season. He has committed just 16 errors in a major league career that began in 1990 with Oakland.
Lewis set major league records for consecutive errorless games by an outfielder (392) and consecutive chances by an outfielder without an error (938). Both marks were set in 1994.
In Chicago, Lewis is expected to play behind the starting trio of Moises Alou, Corey Patterson and Sammy Sosa. A righthanded batter, Lewis could spell Patterson occasionally against lefthanders after hitting .309 against southpaws last season. Patterson struggled at the plate last season, hitting .221.
Lewis has spent the last four seasons in Boston and also has played for San Francisco, Cincinnati, the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles. He did not commit an error in 106 chances last season and is a career .250 hitter with 600 runs and 246 stolen bases.
The Cubs have signed two other free agents this season -- Alou
and infielder Chris Stynes.
