Worrell gets 2-year deal from Giants
RELIEVER IS RETURNING TO S.F. IN SETUP ROLE
Although the Giants didn’t obtain the starter they need, they believe they filled a crucial void by signing right-hander Tim Worrell to a two- year, $4 million contract Thursday.
Giants General Manager Brian Sabean said Worrell, 38, should help compensate for the departure of left-hander Scott Eyre, whose durability and effectiveness in a setup relief role made him one of the team’s most essential performers. Eyre signed a three- year, $11 million contract last month with the Chicago Cubs.
‘‘His addition is as important as anything we could do up to this point,’’ Sabean said of Worrell, who had a 3.27 ERA in 229 games for the Giants in 2001-03.
Last season was a tumultuous one for Worrell, who began it with Philadelphia. On May 6, he left the team for 35 days because of personal psychological problems. ‘‘I had some things in my life that I needed to get sorted out,’’ said Worrell, who has not divulged the nature of his troubles but did say, ‘‘Some of the stuff we were dealing with was family stuff.’’
That partly explained why Worrell excelled after the Phillies traded him July 21 to Arizona, near his off-season home, for infielder Matt Kata. Worrell, who had a 9.82 ERA with Philadelphia before his monthlong absence, posted a 0.90 ERA and a .147 opponents’ batting average in his final 18 appearances with Arizona.
A 13- year veteran, Worrell took a selective approach toward free agency by including mostly West Coast teams on his short list of preferred destinations. Worrell was only too happy to rejoin the Giants, for whom he saved a career38 games in 2003.
‘‘I was telling Sabes on the phone, being around and being on a lot of different teams, the Giants were the last team where I felt like I was part of the organization,’’ said Worrell, who has a 45-57 career record with 65 saves and a 3.89 ERA in 655 games.
Sabean was less upbeat about his pursuit of a starter, saying ‘‘there’s nothing I feel that’s imminent’’ while acknowledging the Giants’ interest in right-hander Matt Morris and a half-dozen other free agents.
Although the Giants’ other primary need is a left-handedfirst baseman/outfielder, Sabean said ‘‘90 percent of what we’ve done has been to expose ourselves to pitching possibilities’’ — including trade talk. Contact Chris Haft at chaft@mercurynews.com