With no financial incentives at stake, free agent Aaron Rowand could simply pick and choose from the situations he liked best this winter. On Monday, he made his commitment, signing a minor league deal to battle for playing time in the Marlins outfield.
Rowand hit .233/.274/.347 with four homers in 331 at-bats before being released by the Giants last season. The five-year, $60 million deal he signed with San Francisco still has one year left on it, so the Marlins will only be on the hook for the major league minimum if he makes the team.
The 34-year-old Rowand figures to battle Emilio Bonifacio and Chris Coghlan for playing time in center field. If he earns a spot, it will probably be as a fourth outfielder. Rowand still has an above average glove in center, but considering that he hasn’t been a good hitter since 2007 or an adequate one since 2009, he’s far from a lock to make a contribution in Miami.
