THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
DENVER — Pitcher Aaron Cook has finalized a new contract with the Colorado Rockies that guarantees him an additional US$30 million over three seasons.
Cook already was set to earn $4.5 million next year under an option the Rockies exercised in October. His new deal, announced Tuesday, adds a $2.5-million signing bonus and salaries of $8.75 million in 2009, $9 million in 2010, $9.25 million in 2011.
Colorado and Cook have an $11-million mutual option for 2012 with a $500,000 buyout.
Cook went 8-7 with a 4.12 ERA in 25 starts for the NL champions last season. He went on the disabled list in mid-August with an oblique injury and returned for Game 4 of the World Series, when Boston beat the Rockies 4-3 to complete a sweep.
The 28-year-old right-hander is 36-35 with a 4.47 ERA in six major league seasons, all with the Rockies.
His new deal includes escalators based on 200 or more innings pitched each year from 2008 through 2011. If he is traded, the value for remaining years in the deal rise by $1 million each.
