Rox agree to 1-year deal with Kip Wells

Rox agree to 1-year deal with Kip Wells
By Patrick Saunders
The Denver Post
Article Last Updated: 12/12/2007 09:48:40 PM MST

Banking on their ability to turn a pitcher's career around, the Rockies agreed to a one-year deal with former Cardinals right-hander Kip Wells today, according to a source close to the situation. The deal is for around $3 million and should be officially announced Thursday or Friday.

The Rockies also agreed to a one-year, $1 million contract with reserve outfielder Cory Sullivan tonight shortly before the non-tender deadline. Had the Rockies not offered a contract, Sullivan would have become a free agent.

And free-agent reliever Luis Vizcaino is reportedly close to making a decision on his next team, and the Rockies are still in the hunt. Vizcaino, 33, is expected to receive a multi-year deal after rejecting a one-year contract through salary arbitration with the Yankees.

Wells will likely compete for the fifth spot in the Rockies' rotation. Earlier today, general manager Dan O'Dowd explained why he was interested in the 30-year-old Wells, who is 64-91 with a 4.63 ERA in his big-league career but has gone 17-40 with a 5.51 ERA the last three years.

"We see him as somebody with talent who can be a bounce-back guy, and I think we have a pretty good track record of getting guys back on track," O'Dowd said, referring to pitchers such as Darren Oliver and Shawn Estes.