Davis Signs With Cincinnati for $1.35 Million Plus Incentives

Eric Davis and the Cincinnati Reds, who feuded in public over the outfielder’s contract negotiations, agreed early today to a one-year contract worth $1.35 million, a raise of $421,000.

Reds owner Marge Schott, Davis and Eric Goldschmidt, Davis’ agent, reached the agreement during a meeting in New York, where they were scheduled to go before arbitrator Raymond Goetz this afternoon. Davis can make an additional $200,000 in incentives.

“Maybe I should have let it go to arbitration, but I felt this would be good for Eric and good for the Reds,” Schott said. “This was a guy who felt like nobody was on his side. I wanted to show him differently.”

Davis, who made $899,000 in base salary last year and $30,000 in bonuses, had asked for $1.65 million in arbitration. The Reds had offered $1.15 million.

In addition to his salary this year, Davis would get $100,000 for winning the Gold Glove, $30,000 for making the All-Star team, $25,000 for winning the Silver Slugger award, $20,000 for being named to the Sporting News post-season All-Star team and $25,000 for being named the Reds Most Valuable Player by the Cincinnati chapter of the Baseball Writers Assn. of America.