All-Star Rowand signs with Giants

Aaron Rowand was looking for a long-term contract with a contender.

The hard-nosed free-agent center fielder took care of the first part Wednesday, when he agreed to a five-year, $60 million deal with the San Francisco Giants.

The second part might take more time, as the Giants (71-91) finished last in the National League West last season. But Rowand is confident the franchise can turn things around.

"It's a great organization with a lot of upside," Rowand, 30, said while celebrating his signing over drinks and dinner with his wife, Marianne, a Bishop Gorman High School graduate, and his agent, Craig Landis. "It all starts with pitching, and the young (starters) we have are going to continue to get better.

"We're going to be a team in the running for a division championship down the road, and I'm glad to be part of that."

Rowand, who helped the Chicago White Sox to the World Series title in 2005 before getting traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2006 for slugger Jim Thome, said signing a long-term deal was important.

"Every player wants to be in one spot. Nobody wants to bounce around from city to city," he said. "One of the biggest things for me was to have security and be in one spot for a while. Hopefully I can finish my career there."

Rowand is coming off a career year in which he played in his first All-Star Game and won his first Gold Glove while helping the Phillies to the NL East title.

He hit .309 and set career highs of 27 home runs, 89 RBIs, 105 runs, 45 doubles, 189 hits and 161 games. He also tied for the NL lead among center fielders with a .995 fielding percentage, making two errors in 405 chances.

Rowand, who has lived in Las Vegas for the last eight years, said he had similar offers from four or five other teams, but the Giants were the best fit for a couple of reasons, including location.

"It's a great situation for me and my family," said Rowand, who has a 6-year-old daughter, Tatum, and a 3-year-old son, McKay, with his wife, who he met at Cal State Fullerton. "Living in Las Vegas, it's convenient to be able to see my kids who are in school there year-round. I can come home on off days and the kids can fly off for the weekend and whatnot."

Another reason Rowand signed with San Francisco is because of its manager, former Las Vegas Stars catcher Bruce Bochy. The two met in Las Vegas on Sunday, and Bochy outlined his plan to change the makeup of the club.

"I said I wanted to change the culture of the clubhouse and get back to the warrior mentality and play the game hard for nine innings," Bochy said. "Aaron's the type of player who can do that. He's the type of player who can hold everyone accountable."

Rowand became a fan favorite in Philadelphia and beyond when he broke his nose and bones around his eye making a catch crashing into a wall early in his first season there.

"I have a lot in common with Bruce Bochy, and the style of baseball they want to play lends itself to my style of play," said Rowand, who is slated to start in center field and hit fifth for the Giants.

Randy Winn figures to return to right field, and Dave Roberts probably will move from center to left, where he will replace the departed Barry Bonds.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.