The San Francisco Giants filled out their infield Monday, agreeing to a two-year, $8-million US contract with first baseman Rich Aurilia and a one-year, $5.1-million US deal with third baseman Pedro Feliz.

Second baseman Ray Durham was re-signed to a two-year, $14.5-million US contract last Friday, and 11-time Gold Glove shortstop Omar Vizquel is signed through 2007.

Rich Aurilia hit .300 for the Reds last season with 23 HRs and 70 RBIs.
(Elsa/Getty Images)

"It's a good infield," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "These guys have played together.

"They know each other. It's nice getting both Pedro and Ray back."

Feliz flew from the Dominican Republic to Central Florida on Monday to undergo a physical by Giants doctor Ken Akizuki and other medical staff.

Aurilia, who took a physical on Saturday, will make $3.5 million US in 2007 and $4.5 million US in 2008 and can earn an additional $250,000 US each for 300, 350, 400, 450 and 500 plate appearances.

His deal had been in the works for more than a week.

Aurilia can play any infield position, but Bochy expects him to spend most of his time at first base.

Feliz prolific at plate

The 31-year-old Feliz, who can make about $500,000 US more in performance bonuses, batted .244 and matched his career high with 22 home runs last season, when he had a regular position for the first time in his six-plus major-league seasons.

Feliz had a team-leading 98 runs batted in and played in a career-high 160 games.

Feliz played all but 44 1/3 innings on defence, acknowledging Monday that maybe he was a little bit tired in the second half.

His 15 HRs and 62 RBIs in 89 games before the all-star break were the most by a San Francisco third baseman since Matt Williams had 17 HRs and 68 RBIs in 1996.

"It might have affected my second half a little bit," Feliz said. "I'm going to get better in everything."

Feliz, who has been taking part in an extensive hitting program in Los Angeles and now his native Dominican Republic since the season ended, wasn't sure he would return to the Giants, his only team since the organization signed him in February 2004.

San Francisco officials apparently thought he might be too expensive to keep around.

"I was ready for whatever," Feliz said. "I'm happy to see it done already."

Back in the Bay Area

The 35-year-old Aurilia played for the Giants for his first nine MLB seasons from 1995-2003, helping San Francisco reach the 2002 World Series.

He spent the last two seasons with the Cincinnati Reds and had expressed interest in returning to the Bay Area.

He batted .300 with 23 HRs and 70 RBIs in 440 at-bats last season.

"It's always nice to not only have those guys, but [also] to have the same team," Vizquel said in a phone interview.

"It's good for the guys to be able to trust and to have that confidence. Obviously, we're going to keep signing players.

"But it's nice to have that infield. We played good defence last year.

"They signed Ray to a two-year deal. Now they need to sign me."