December 20, 2007
[size=150]PHILLIES SIGN JENKINS AND DURBIN[/size]
Outfielder Geoff Jenkins and righthander Chad Durbin each agreed to terms on contracts with the Phillies, Vice President & General Manager Pat Gillick announced today.
Jenkins, 33, signed a two-year contract with a mutual vesting option for 2010. Durbin, 30, signed a one-year contract.
Prior to signing with the Phillies, Jenkins had spent his entire 10-year major league career with Milwaukee. This past season, he hit .255 with 21 home runs and 64 RBI in 132 games. Among his home runs were a grand slam in Minnesota, a walk-off shot against the Mets and his first career pinch home run in Houston. Jenkins made 109 starts, all in left field.
“Geoff gives us that left-handed power bat in the outfield that we were looking for,” said Gillick. “He can play right or left field and will give Charlie some lineup options on an everyday basis.”
An All-Star in 2003, Jenkins has had at least 20 home runs in seven of his nine full major league seasons, topping out with 34 in 2000. Per 162 games, Jenkins has averaged 28 home runs and 92 RBI in his career.
Jenkins played left field exclusively for six straight seasons (1999-2004) before switching to right field for two years (2005-06). Overall, he has made 868 career starts in left field and 270 in right. He has 91 career outfield assists (seven last season). Over the last nine years, Jenkins leads all National League outfielders with 85 assists.
A first-round selection by Milwaukee in the 1995 draft, Jenkins has a career batting average of .277 with 212 home runs and 704 RBI in 1,234 games. His home run total ranks second all-time in Brewers history, trailing only Hall of Famer Robin Yount (251).
Durbin went 8-7 with a 4.72 ERA in 36 games (19 starts) for Detroit last season. In 17 relief appearances, the righthander went 2-0 with a 4.18 ERA. Over a three-month span, from April 25 through July 21, Durbin went 7-2 with a 2.87 ERA in 18 games (11 starts).
“Chad can either be a starter or reliever, so we feel he is a very good addition to our club,” said Gillick. “He pitched in both roles very effectively last season.”
In parts of eight major league seasons, Durbin is 25-37 with one save and a 5.75 ERA in 114 games (75 starts) for Kansas City (1999-2002), Cleveland (2003-04), Arizona (2004) and Detroit (2006-07).
Jenkins will wear #10 and Durbin will wear #37.
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