Batista signs three-year deal with M’s

SEATTLE – Bill Bavasi didn’t fully understand the value in signing Miguel Batista until after word leaked of a deal being reached between the veteran pitcher and the Seattle Mariners.

That’s when Bavasi started getting calls from other teams.

“It felt great when we signed him, but I felt great when I got those two phone calls from clubs who had a lot of interest in him,” Bavasi said Thursday. “Those are people I really respect.”

Batista signed a three-year contract Thursday that was believed to be worth between $8 million and $9 million annually. The signing adds another proven starter to the rotation, but one with a losing career record who is not the front-line No. 1 pitcher that management and fans have been seeking.

Batista, who will turn 36 early in spring training, will pitch for his seventh team. In his second stint with Arizona last year, Batista tied a career high with 11 victories and eclipsed 200 innings for the first time in his career. He made 33 starts and had a 4.58 ERA.

“We started with 20 and then narrowed it down to the one I would have the most interest in playing for,” said Batista, who agreed to a deal reportedly worth between $24 million and $27 million, and received a larger offer after he committed to Seattle.

“I think here is a better fit.”

Batista should complement Seattle’s rotation, but his signing has not calmed fans’ ire over the Mariners missing out on Jason Schmidt, a Northwest native who signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Seattle still has one hole in its rotation, and Bavasi said the team is not done trying to complete a deal.

Batista has a career 68-79 record.