The Dodgers are about to lose their second free agent this week, as Jamey Carroll is on the verge of signing a two-year contract with the Minnesota Twins worth about $7 million. More details can be found by reading Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports or Rhett Bollinger at MLB.com. Carroll is expected to be the everyday shortstop for the Twins.
Kudos to Carroll, who for his ages 38 and 39 seasons will nearly double the contract he signed with the Dodgers in December 2009. That a utility man like Carroll got a two-year deal from the Dodgers at the time was questionable, but he proved every bit worth the $3.85 million and then some (Carroll also earned $600,000 in contract bonuses, bringing his total salary to $4.45 million for his two years in Los Angeles).
Carroll hit .290/.368/.344 in his two years as a Dodger, and his 924 plate appearances are the most he has ever had in any two-year period in his career. His 99 OPS+ is the sixth highest in Dodgers history among players with no home runs and at least 200 plate appearances. As pointed out by Jon Weisman at Dodger Thoughts, Carroll has the highest on-base percentage ever by a Los Angeles Dodgers infielder.
Carroll joins the list of departed Dodgers along with catcher Rod Barajas, who signed a contract in Pittsburgh on Thursday. Three of the Dodgers' MLB-high 10 free agents have decided their 2012 homes, including Juan Rivera who stayed with the Dodgers.
Maybe in his spare time in his new baseball locale, Carroll can do some sightseeing: