CINCINNATI, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- The Cincinnati Reds Sunday re-signed veteran infielder Rich Aurilia to a one-year contract with a mutual option for 2007.
The Reds had offered Aurilia arbitration in December, but he rejected the proposal, and midnight Sunday was the deadline for him to re-sign with the team. If he didn't, he a could not have played for the Reds until May 1.
"This turned out to be a longer exercise than we envisioned," said Cincinnati General Manager Dan O'Brien about the contract talks on the team's Web site. "The fact we successfully concluded it is what matters."
Aurilia, 34, batted .282 with 14 home runs and 68 RBI in 426 at-bats for Cincinnati last season and led the team in hitting with runners in scoring position with a .343 average.
Aurilia, who made $600,000 in 2005, is a .276 lifetime hitter with 146 home runs and 585 RBI, with a fielding averafe of .973.
