Giancarlo Stanton signs record $325M deal at news conference

Giancarlo Stanton signed his record $325 million, 13-year contract with the Miami Marlins at a news conference formally announcing the deal. Stanton (pictured, right) signed the deal at the start of the conference Wednesday while sitting next to owner Jeffrey Loria (left). The attendance-challenged franchise drew nearly 100 members of the media for the occasion. The contract is the most lucrative for an American athlete and the longest in baseball history. It includes a no-trade clause, and Stanton can opt out after six years and $107 million. The Marlins hadn’t held a celebratory news conference on such a scale since their last spending spree, just before their ballpark opened in 2012. They went 69-93 that season, leading to a payroll purge. – Associated Press