Carter Signs With Padres and Becomes Highest-Paid Nonpitcher in Baseball

Center fielder Joe Carter signed a three-year, $9.2-million contract with the San Diego Padres Wednesday, making him the highest-paid position player in baseball.

As part of the trade engineered by Jack McKeon, Padre vice president/baseball operations, catcher Sandy Alomar Jr., left fielder Chris James and minor league third baseman Carlos Baerga went to the Cleveland Indians.

Said Padre outfielder Tony Gwynn: “Trader Jack has done it again. He was the marquee name of the whole winter meetings. But hey, if you think Jack’s excited, you should see me. I’m going crazy. We got a super player this city’s just going to fall in love with. What a class act.”

Carter, 29, has averaged 30 home runs and 108 runs batted in the past four seasons. Only three American League players have driven in more runs in that span, and the last time Carter hit fewer than 25 homers in a season was in 1985.

The Padres maintained their pace Wednesday night by signing free-agent outfielder Fred Lynn--a former Angel--to a one-year contract.

Lynn, 37, will earn $500,000 and will also receive a signing bonus of about $100,000. He spent last season with the Detroit Tigers, hitting .241 with 11 home runs and 46 RBIs in 117 games.