NEW ORLEANS, Dec. 15 (UPI) -- The Montreal Expos, looking for some offensive power at baseball's winter meetings in New Orleans, took a chance Monday on veteran outfielder Carl Everett.
The Expos signed the productive, but combustible, Everett to a two-year contract with a club option for 2006. ESPN Radio in Chicago is reporting the value of the deal is $7.5 million with a $5 million club option for 2006.
Montreal also traded catcher Michael Barrett to Oakland for a player to be named later. The Expos shipped out Barrett after failing to come to terms with the 27-year-old, who is eligible for arbitration.
The 32-year-old Everett is coming off an All-Star season split between the Texas Rangers and Chicago White Sox. Overall, he batted .287, with 28 home runs and 92 RBI in 147 games. A career .278 hitter over a 10-year career, Everett had at least 25 homers in three of the last five seasons.
