Nick Punto signs with A's

The first of the Dodgers' 12 free agents to find a new home is infielder Nick Punto, who signed a one-year deal with the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday, plus a vesting option for 2015.

The contract is worth $3 million per Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports, which includes $2.75 million in 2014 plus a $250,000 buyout of a $2.75 million option for 2015 that could vest depending on days spent on the disabled list. Punto made $1.5 million with the Dodgers in 2013.

Punto hit .255/.328/.327 in 116 games for the Dodgers in 2013 with 15 doubles and two home runs. Perhaps my favorite Punto stat is that he has hit a home run in 11 consecutive seasons dating back to 2003, but has only 17 home runs during that span.

Punto, who turned 36 last Friday, was quite versatile defensively for the Dodgers, starting 33 games at shorstop, 21 games at second base and 17 more at third base this season.

Punto's wife tweeted a goodbye to Los Angeles.

Sad to leave the @Dodgers but excited to start our new adventure with the @Athletics.

— Natalie Punto (@MsShredderpunto) November 13, 2013

We may remember Punto from The Punto Trade with the Red Sox, adding over $260 million in salary commitments in August 2012 with throw-ins Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Josh Beckett. Or we may remember Punto from sliding headfirst into first base at seemingly every opportunity. But I'll always remember this interview of Punto on Intentional Talk on MLB Network. Poor Mrs. Schumaker.