A's, Springer agree on 1-year contract

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Jan 29, 2009 | by Joe Stiglich

The A's agreed to terms with 40-year-old reliever Russ Springer on a one-year contract Thursday, finalizing a deal that had been widely reported in recent days.

Springer is a 16-year major league veteran going on his eighth big league team, but his past two seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals have been the best of his long career. The A's are betting he's got something left in the tank and see him as a setup man to get the ball to co-closers Joey Devine and Brad Ziegler.

Springer's deal reportedly is in the $3 million range.

Signing him "wasn't as much about him being a veteran as it was how well he's pitched," A's assistant general manager David Forst said. "We recognized we do have a young bullpen, and the help that's on the way from Triple-A is even younger. Russ' versatility and ability to bridge the gap and get the ball to Devine, Ziegler, or whoever else is pitching is very imprortant to us."

To make room for Springer on the 40-man roster, the A's released reliever Andrew Brown, who was scheduled to have surgery today on his right shoulder and appears sidelined for a prolonged period.

Springer is 35-41 with a 4.55 ERA over his career, but he's 10-2 with a 2.24 ERA over the past two seasons.

"Early in my career, I was a grip-it-and-throw it as-hard-as-I- could guy," Springer said. "I did more throwing than pitching. I learned how to throw a cutter, learned how to pitch. My velocity is still good, but now I'm a better pitcher than I've ever been."

Forst left the door open for the A's to add more players before spring camp starts Feb. 14, even in the bullpen, where spots seem largely unsettled after Devine, Ziegler and now Springer.