Cubs Sign Byrd
Chicago, IL – Outfielder Marlon Byrd agreed Thursday to a $15 million, three-year contract with the Chicago Cubs.
Byrd hit .283 with 20 homers and 89 RBIs last season for the Texas Rangers. and will likely take over in center from Kosuke Fukudome, who would move to right field full-time after the trade of troubled Milton Bradley to Seattle.
Byrd gets $3 million next year, $5.5 million in 2011 and $6.5 million in 2012.
A career .279 hitter with 60 homers and 335 RBIs in 785 major league games with Philadelphia, Washington and Texas, Byrd will be reunited with former Texas and current Cubs hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo. In three seasons working with Jaramillo in Texas, Byrd batted .295 with 40 homers and 212 RBIs.
Byrd led the Rangers in game-winning RBI last season with 12 and hit .333 with runners in scoring position.
in left and six in right.
The 32-year-old Byrd originally was selected by Philadelphia in the 10th round of the 1999 amateur draft.
Posted: 12/31/09 7:13PM ET