Marlins Sign Charles Johnson
A day after signing a deal that could bring the Florida Marlins a new name and a new ballpark, the team added a new catcher agreeing Monday to a $35 million, five-year contract with free agent Charles Johnson.
The Marlins scheduled a late afternoon news conference. The subject was to announce the signing of Johnson, according to a pair of sources familiar with the deal who spoke on the condition they not be identified.
Johnson, 29, broke into the major leagues with the Marlins in 1994, gets $5 million in each of the first two seasons, $7 million in 2003 and $9 million in each of the final two years. He had a no-trade clause for the first two years and a limited no-trade for the final season.
Johnson, Florida's catcher in 1997 when the Marlins won the World Series, was traded the following season to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a deal involving Gary Sheffield and Mike Piazza.
A career .249 hitter, the native of nearby Fort Pierce hit .304 with 31 home runs and 91 RBIs this year with the Baltimore Orioles and the Chicago White Sox.
The signing came a day after the Marlins announced an agreement with Miami-Dade County and city officials on a $385 million, retractable roof stadium in downtown Miami.
Florida general manager Dave Dombrowski said Sunday that the promise of a new stadium might help lure free agents.
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