The Orioles strengthened their bench and weakened that of their chief competitor yesterday by signing New York Yankees free-agent catcher Matt Nokes to a one-year contract worth $750,000, plus incentives.
A power-hitting catcher who bats from the left side, Nokes hit .291 with seven home runs and 19 RBIs in 79 at-bats for the Yankees. He missed two months after breaking the hamate bone in his right hand. Nokes made 13 starts behind the plate, three at first base and three at designated hitter for the Yankees.
The Orioles plan to use him as a backup to Chris Hoiles and as a part-time designated hitter.
"We will get him some at-bats," Orioles manager Phil Regan said. "My thinking is Hoiles plays so all-out, you've got to give him a day off. Now we can do that and still have a power-hitting catcher in there."
The signing of Nokes does not mean the Orioles will not attempt to re-sign DH Harold Baines, general manager Roland Hemond said.
"This deepens our club," Hemond said. "We continue dialogue with Harold. What Nokes does for us is he solidifies our catching. It's always good for a club to have right-handed- and left-handed-hitting catchers."
A 10-year veteran, Nokes, 31, hit 134 home runs in 2,675 at-bats, or one every 20 at-bats, a better ratio than perennial MVP candidate Joe Carter.
In 1987, his first full season in the major leagues, Nokes hit .289 with 32 home runs and 87 RBIs for the Detroit Tigers. He has not matched those totals, but has hit 20 or more home runs in three seasons.
Nokes said his representative, Los Angeles-based Arn Tellum, also had conversations with the Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, Minnesota Twins and the Yankees.
He said he did not want to return to the Yankees because of the playing-time logjam, a consideration that delayed his decision to sign with the Orioles.
Those concerns, Nokes said, were alleviated when he talked with Regan in midweek.
"He told me I'll be doing some of the DH-ing and some of the catching and if Rafael Palmeiro ever needs a day off I can play first base," Nokes said.
Regan said he has not decided whether the Orioles will carry two or three catchers.
Nokes never has been considered a very strong defensive catcher.
"I think he's adequate defensively," Regan said. "But when you get a player like Nokes, you're looking at an offensive player, someone with power."
Said Nokes: "I've always wanted to play in Baltimore. It was my first choice for sure. It's a beautiful ballpark. I like hitting in the ballpark. My family knows the area. They've always come on the trips. My wife loves it, and that's key. It's a big-league organization and it would have been hard to go to a place that wasn't because I've always played for a winner."
To make room for Nokes on the 40-man roster, the Orioles outrighted left-hander John O'Donoghue, who went 4-7 with a 5.72 ERA in 38 appearances for Triple-A Rochester.
* NOTE: Orioles outfielder Brady Anderson will sign posters to benefit the Brady Anderson Fund of the Baltimore Community Foundation from noon to 2 p.m. today at American Baseball Classics in the Light Street Pavilion at Harborplace and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. tomorrow at Bob's Sports in Towson Town Center. Tickets are $25 each.
THE MATT NOKES FILE
Born: Oct. 31, 1963. Bats: Left. Throws: Right.
1985: Earned September promotion to Giants. 1986: Obtained by the Tigers with Dave LaPoint and Eric King on Oct. 7, 1985, in exchange for Juan Berenguer, Bob Melvin and Scott Medvin. . . . Hit first American League home run Oct. 5 off Ken Dixon at Baltimore. 1987: Was named to the American League All-Star team. 1988: Improved his percentage of throwing out would-be base stealers, catching 29 of 78 (37 percent) after throwing out 15 of 83 (18 percent) in 1987. 1989: Season was interrupted June 16 when he tore medial collateral ligament in a collision at home plate with California's Chili Davis. . . . Injured right shoulder Aug. 30 and was limited to DH duty for the rest of the season. 1990: Acquired by the Yankees on June 4 in exchange for Clay Parker and Lance McCullers. 1991: He hit .268 with a team-leading 24 homers and 77 RBIs. 1992: Ranked second among AL catchers in homers (21) and RBIs (57). 1993: Caught Jim Abbott's no-hitter against the Indians on Sept. 4. 1994: Homered an average of once every 11 at-bats, the best ratio on the team. . . . Was on the DL from April 26 to June 29 with a broken right hand.
Year, Club, Avg., AB, R, H, 2B, 3B, HR, RBI
1985, San Fran., .208, 53, 3, 11, 2, 0, 2, 5
1986, Detroit, .333, 24, 2, 8, 1, 0, 1, 2
1987, Detroit, .289, 461, 69, 133, 14, 2, 32, 87
1988, Detroit, .251, 382, 53, 96, 18, 0, 16, 53
1989, Detroit, .250, 268, 15, 67, 10, 0, 9, 39
1990, Detroit, .270, 111, 12, 30, 5, 1, 3, 8
1990, New York-A, .238, 240, 21, 57, 4, 0, 8, 32
1991, New York-A, .268, 456, 52, 122, 20, 0, 24, 77
1992, New York-A, .224, 384, 42, 86, 9, 1, 22, 59
1993, New York-A, .249, 217, 25, 54, 8, 0, 10,,35
1994, New York-A, .291, 79, 11, 23, 3, 0, 7, 19
Totals, .257, 2675, 305, 687, 94, 4, 134, 416