CINCINNATI, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- The Cincinnati Reds avoided arbitration with first baseman Sean Casey Tuesday, agreeing to terms on a one-year contract.
The Reds also signed infielder Pete Rose Jr. to a minor-league deal.
Financial terms of both contracts were not disclosed.
Casey, 27, is coming off his second All-Star season, hitting .310 with 13 home runs and 89 RBI in 145 games.
Last year, Casey led the team in games played, runs scored (69), hits (165), doubles (40), RBI, road batting average (.339) and hitting with runners in scoring position (.356).
Entering the 2002 season, Casey's career batting average of .311 will rank 11th among active players. He hit .332 with 25 homers and 99 RBI for the Reds in 1999 and .315 with 20 home runs and
85 RBI in 2000.
Casey is not eligible for free agency until 2004.
Rose, the son of former Reds great Pete Rose, will be entering his 14th minor-league season. He was in Philadelphia's chain last season, batting .322 in 44 games with Class AA Chattanooga
and Class AAA Reading.
He has hit .260 with 84 homers and 594 RBI in
1,232 minor-league games with affiliates of Cincinnati, Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and the Chicago White Sox.
