***BREAKING NEWS*** Rafael Mercado Signs 3-Year, $60 Million Contract

By KYLE KEOUGH
DOUBLE DAY DAILY

After recently trading franchise ace Mark Post to the Montreal Shamrocks, the Richmond Diamonds used that extra payroll space to fill Post's locker with incoming ace and four-time All-Star Rafael Mercado.

The Diamonds signed Mercado to a three-year deal worth a reported $60 million. Mercado's contract boasts both the highest annual salary and the highest total value of any pitching contract in Double Day's history. The 33-year-old former NL Cy Young award winner will now remain in the National League.

Mercado's $60 million contract is the biggest of this free agency, but it likely won't be the last, with super-free agents Tom Lofton, Barry Broadhurst, and Pedro Galvez still left to sign.

Meanwhile, two of free agency's other big names found a new home in Ottawa. 34-year-old Buddy Walker, a year removed from a season in which he batted a career-high .368 for Albuquerque, was rewarded with a three-year deal worth a reported $17.4 million. That sum isn't quite what the infielder was hoping for, and the All-Star joins another bargain in Andrew May. Another Albuquerque free agent, May signed a two-year deal in Ottawa worth $9.6 million.

Last season, May went 13-5 with a 4.81 ERA for the Dukes. Lifetime, he is 54-36 with a 4.34 ERA. Ottawa, who finished last season with 92 wins and a division title, will hope to take the next step towards contending for a World Series with these two in tow.