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The Chicago Cubs on Thursday agreed to terms with lefthander Kent Mercker and former Rookie of the Year Todd Hollandsworth on one-year contracts.
Financial terms were not disclosed, but ESPN Radio 1000 in Chicago is reporting that Mercker will make $1.2 million and Hollandsworth $1 million.
Mercker, who has
worked solely out of the bullpen the past two seasons, split the 2003 campaign
between Cincinnati and Atlanta. He is coming off one of his best seasons, recording
a 1.95 ERA in 67 games.
Opponents hit just .227 against Mercker, .222 for lefthanders. He worked 10
1/3 scoreless innings from July 24-August 15, a span of 10 games. Acquired down
the stretch by Atlanta, Mercker worked one or more innings 36 times.
The 35-year-old has spent parts of 14 seasons with Atlanta, Baltimore, Cleveland, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Boston, Anaheim and Colorado, going 66-64 with 20 saves and a 4.27 ERA.
With the Braves on April 8, 1994, Mercker threw a no-hitter against Los Angeles.
That was two years before Hollandsworth was named Rookie of the Year with the Dodgers. He has been a part-timer the past seven seasons and is joining his fifth team in as many years.
In 1996, Hollandsworth hit .291 with 12 home runs, 59 RBI and 21 stolen bases, but he hasn't had 300 at-bats in a season since. He's a career .276 hitter with 77 homers and 308 RBI in 840 games.
The Cubs also agreed to terms on minor league contracts with righthanders Jamey Wright and Gary Glover, as well as infielder Bill Selby.
Wright, 28, is 51-69 with a 5.15 ERA in 178 major league appearances, going 1-2 with a 4.26 ERA in four games with Kansas City in 2003.
Glover, 27, is 14-13 with one save and a 5.00 ERA in 130 career games.
Selby, 33, has hit .223 with 11 homers and 48 RBI in 198 big league games.