D.C.-bound Expos sign Castilla, Guzman

MONTREAL, Nov. 17 (UPI) -- Free agents Vinny Castilla and Christian Guzman will be playing for the major league team in Washington, D.C., next season.

Castilla, a third baseman, signed for two years and $6.2 million. Guzman, a shorstop, got a four-year, $16.8 million deal.

The contracts were signed Tuesday with the Montreal Expos, who are relocating to Washington.

Castilla, 37, hit .271 with 35 home runs and led the National League with 131 runs-batted-in while playing for Colorado in 2004. He joins his fifth team.

Guzman, 26, who played for the Minnesota Twins, batted .274 with eight home runs, 46 RBI and 84 runs scored. He ranked second among American League shortstops with a .983 fielding percentage.

"Cristian Guzman is a critical part of the future of the Washington franchise. You never see a winning team without a good shortstop," General Manager Jim Bowden said.

"These two guys have been to the post-season and that's important, especially for this franchise that has a lot of players that haven't been to the post-season."

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