CLEVELAND, Dec. 6 -- In a move he hopes will revive his career, Brady Anderson Friday signed a one-year contract with the Cleveland Indians with options for 2003 asnd 2004.
Anderson hit just.202 with eight home runs and 45 RBI last season before being released in November by the Baltimore Orioles.
While his numbers are in decline, Anderson will come at a bargain price. Anderson's $4 million contract for next season,the final year of a five-year deal, is being paid by the Orioles, with the Indians responsible only for the minimum of $200,000.
The 37-year-old Anderson played in 131 games this past season, his 14th in the major leagues.
"We are excited to add a veteran leadoff hitter the quality of Brady Anderson," Indians General Manager Mark Shapiro said. "We expect Brady to bring energy to the top of our lineup and give us experience and leadership in the outfield.
"With our budget constraints, Brady was without a doubt the best fit for us in order to obtain a championship caliber player who can help us win in 2002."
Kenny Lofton, Cleveland's center fielder for the last four seasons, is a free agent.
The three-time All-Star, a native of Silver Spring, Md., has spent all but 41 games of his big league career with the Orioles. He was drafted by Boston in 1985 and was sent to Baltimore in 1988.
What the Orioles got was a steady center fielder with speed and flashes of power. After finally landing a starting job in 1992, Anderson became the only player in major league history to have both a 50-homer and a 50-stolen base season.
Anderson had 209 home runs and a club-record 311 stolen bases with Baltimore, and played in the 1992, 1996 and 1997 All-Star Games.
Anderson's best season came in 1996, when he set career highs with a .297 average, a franchise-record 50 home runs and 110 RBI. He has never hit more than 24 homers in any other season.
Anderson stole a career-high 53 bases in 1992.
In 1996, Anderson helped the Orioles to their first postseason appearance in 13 years but Baltimore ended up losing the American League Championship Series to the New York Yankees.
To make room on the 40-man roster for Anderson, the Indians designated righthander Steve Woodard for assignment.The 26-year-old Woodard went 3-3 with a 5.20 ERA in 29 games, 10 starts, for the Tribe in 2001.NEWLN: Content: 15007000
