Mays Gets Minor League Deal With Dodgers

Joe Mays, once a 17-game winner for the Minnesota Twins in 2001, agreed to a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday, along with a non-roster spring training invitation.

The 31-year-old right-hander has a terrible 48-70 record with a 5.05 ERA in 206 big league games, 156 as a starter.

After his splendid 17-win season where he held a career-best 3.13 ERA with the Twins, Mays signed a $20 million, four-year contract. This is about the time things started to go down hill. He won only 18 games for Minnesota and between the lack of performance and elbow surgery, Twins GM Terry Ryan said, "It's been real, here's your $500,000 buy-out."

Mays pitched in 13 games for the Kansas City Royals and Cincinnati Reds last year, surprisingly ending the season 0-5 in 11 starts and two relief appearances.

[Mercury News]