White Sox agree with Viciedo

[December 15, 2008]  CHICAGO (AP) -- The Chicago White Sox agreed to a four-year, $10 million contract Friday with Cuban infielder Dayan Viciedo.

Viciedo will receive a $4 million signing bonus and be paid $1 million in 2009, $1.25 million in 2010 and 2011 and $2.5 million in 2012. He will join a team that already has two Cuban players in Alexei Ramirez and Jose Contreras.

The 19-year-old Viciedo played three seasons with Villa Clara in the Cuban League, batting .296 with 32 home runs and 123 RBI in 233 games.

He is expected to compete for playing time at third base with Josh Fields and perhaps Wilson Betemit, who was acquired in a trade with the Yankees and who agreed to a one-year, $1.3 million deal Thursday. The White Sox did not re-sign free agent Joe Crede.

The White Sox also agreed to a one-year deal with outfielder DeWayne Wise for $550,000 and avoided arbitration. Wise batted .248 with six home runs and 18 RBI in 57 games last season, his first with the White Sox after signing as a minor league free agent March 5.

[Associated Press]

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