Athletics Sign Moore to 3-Year Contract

Mike Moore, a free-agent right-handed pitcher, agreed to a 3-year contract worth almost $4 million with the American League champion Oakland Athletics on Monday.

Moore, 29, was 9-15 for the Seattle Mariners in 1988 with a 3.78 earned-run average and a career-high 3 shutouts. He threw more than 200 innings (228.2) and struck out more than 100 (182, a career best) for the fifth consecutive season.

Moore, who turned down a 3-year, $3.8-million offer from the Mariners, finished his Seattle career as the team’s leader in innings pitched (1,457) and shutouts (9).

His best season with Seattle was in 1985, when he was 17-10. He said the major reason he was going to Oakland was his desire to play for a winning team.

“We look at Mike as someone who can take the ball every 5 or 6 days and pitch 7 or 8 strong innings,” said Sandy Alderson, Athletic general manager.

Oakland’s likely top five starters next season are Dave Stewart, Bob Welch, Storm Davis, Curt Young and Moore--who were a combined 74-51 in 1988 with 718 strikeouts and 1,107 innings pitched.