10 Teams a Charm Dodgers Sign lofton to Play Centerfield

The Los Angeles Dodgers think they added new dimensions to their roster by signing Kenny Lofton.

Kenny Lofton
Center Field
Los Angeles Dodgers

Profile
2005 SEASON STATISTICS
GM HR RBI R OBP AVG
110 2 36 67 .392 .335


"His ability to get on base and score runs, combined with his speed and defense, are great additions to our club,'' Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said.

Lofton indeed has proven multitalented over his long major league career. He has a .299 career batting average, his 567 steals are the most of any current major leaguer, and he's a four-time Gold Glove winner.

"I've always been a guy who can impact the team in so many aspects: defensively, offensively, on the base paths, in the dugout. As long as I'm out there I feel good about it,'' Lofton said Tuesday after the Dodgers announced their agreement with the 38-year-old outfielder, who received a $3.85 million, one-year deal.

He figures to be the Dodgers' regular center fielder, a spot left open when Los Angeles traded Milton Bradley to Oakland last week.

Lofton's skills have not been overly diminished by age. The six-time All-Star hit .335 in 110 games for Philadelphia last year, the NL's highest average among players with 350 or more at-bats. He had a .392 on-base percentage and hit .330 with runners in scoring position.

"His skills are very similar to earlier in his career,'' Colletti said. "He knows how to play, how to win.''

Lofton gets a $350,000 signing bonus, a $3.5 million salary and the chance to earn $150,000 in performance bonuses: $50,000 each for 350, 400 and 450 plate appearances.