Orioles reach agreement with Javy Lopez

<p>Javy Lopez agreed to a three-year deal with Baltimore on Monday, giving the Orioles a big hitter and another addition to their rebuilding program.</p><p>The deal for the All-Star catcher was worth about $23 million and is contingent on the free agent passing a team physical.</p><p>Javy Lopez provides us with a solid catcher and another explosive bat for our lineup, Orioles vice president of baseball operations Mike Flanagan said in a statement.</p><p>A news conference was scheduled for later in the day. Lopezs agent, Chuck Berry, was not immediately available for comment.</p><p>Lopez, 33, hit .328 last season for the Atlanta Braves, with 43 homers and 109 RBIs, both career highs. It was his best year since 1998, when he hit .284 with 34 homers and 106 RBIs.</p><p>But the cost-cutting Braves decided not to re-sign him and didnt offer salary arbitration Dec. 7, meaning he couldnt re-sign with them until May 1.</p><p>Baltimore already has added shortstop Miguel Tejada. The 2002 AL Most Valuable Player agreed a week ago to a $72 million, six-year contract.</p><p>Team officials have also been speaking with the agent of outfielder Vladimir Guerrero. Before reaching the deal with Lopez, there had also been negotiations with prominent free agent catcher Ivan Rodriguez.</p><p>Flanagan said Lopez is a veteran presence who played a big part in creating and maintaining Atlantas winning environment over the last decade.</p><p>Baltimore has finished fourth in the AL East for six consecutive seasons behind the New York Yankees, Boston and Toronto.</p>

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