Phillies Deal To Keep Spoljaric

The Philadelphia Phillies and their best left-handed reliever, newcomer Paul Spoljaric, today avoided salary arbitration, agreeing to a one-year, $450,000 contract plus performance bonuses.

The Phillies filled an obvious weakness November 9, when they acquired Spoljaric from the Seattle Mariners for right-hander Mark Leiter. Philadelphia, which lacked a dependable lefty out of the bullpen in 1998, also signed free agent southpaw Jim Poole this offseason.

Last year, the Phils mostly relied on Yorkis Perez and rookie Darren Winston to retire lefties. The two combined to go 2-4 with one save and a 4.56 ERA in 77 innings. Perez, who has been hampered by arm problems throughout his career, did appear in 57 games, allowing only 40 hits in 52 innings.

Spoljaric was 4-6 with a 6.48 ERA in 53 apperances last season, but he struck out 89 batters in 83 1/3 innings. Over parts of four major league seasons with the Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays, the 28-year-old Spojaric is 6-12 with a 5.19 ERA.

The bullpen was one of many problems last season for Philadelphia, which finished 31 games behind the Atlanta Braves in the National League East at 75-87.

But the Phils have altered it greatly, acquiring the two lefties, exchanging closers with the St. Louis Cardinals -- Ricky Bottalico for Jeff Brantley in a five-player deal -- and trading right-hander Jerry Spradlin to the Cleveland Indians for starter Chad Ogea.

With today's agreement, the Phillies have 19 remaining unsigned players on their 40-man roster.

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