Quickly, the Hustlers and McNair were able to agree on a frontloaded contract that essentially signs McNair for the 1997 season for less than $1M. Quite a paycut from his $9M salary with the Barnstormers, but McNair feels he has to prove himself. IN a part time role for the first time in his career, he was unhappy and unproductive, batting a very un-McNair like .276 (he's a career .321 hitter and has NEVER been below .300 before).
"I'm only 33 years old, it's not as if I'm dead already," a clearly fired up McNair said upon signing the deal. "I'm looking forward to joining this young Hustlers core and doing whatever I can to get this club over the hump in '97 and hopefully beyond."
McNair figures to start versus all lefties in what would essentially be a platoon with Dean Rodriguez in either center field or right field. Vegas is rumored to be looking for a true centerfielder in order to move Rodriguez back to his natural right field position going forward.
