NEW YORK — Baseball commissioner Bud Selig asked players Wednesday to accept a luxury tax that would slow the increase of salaries, and proposed that teams vastly increase the local revenue they share.

        Selig spoke during a bargaining session at Major League Baseball's headquarters and explained management's central economic proposals for a labor contract to replace the agreement that expired Nov.7.

        Addressing eight players and lawyers from union and management, Selig asked for a 50 percent luxury tax on the amounts of payrolls above $98 million, according to three people familiar with the meeting who spoke on the condition they not be identified.

        Selig also proposed that teams put 50 percent of their locally generated revenue, after deductions for ballpark expenses, in a pool that is redistributed equally to all teams, up from 20 percent this year.

        Selig also said owners would like a worldwide draft, which would eliminate the ability of Cuban defectors to become free agents.

        Both sides were guarded in their comments.

        “Bud outlined his basic position, as did we,” union head Donald Fehr said. “There have been a lot of preliminary discussions. Neither party was surprised.”

        Under the labor agreement that covered 1996 to 2001, the union agreed to a luxury tax for the 1997, 1998 and 1999 seasons. Only the teams with the five highest payrolls paid a tax, the threshold of which was the midpoint between the payrolls of the fifth- and sixth-highest teams, and the tax rate was 35 percent in the first two seasons and 34percent in the third.

        CARDINALS: Japanese outfielder So Taguchi agreed to a three-year contract worth about $3 million.

        Taguchi, 32, spent 10 seasons with the Orix BlueWave and is considered one of the best-fielding outfielders in Japan, where he won five Gold Gloves. He hit .280 with eight home runs and 42 RBI in 134 games last season.

        ASTROS:

        Billy Wagner agreed to a $27million, three-year contract that puts him among baseball's highest-paid relievers.

        Wagner gets $8million in each of the next three seasons. Houston has a $9million club option for 2005 with a $3 million buyout. DODGERS:

        Los Angeles won the rights to pitcher Kazuhisa Ishii with a bid of about $11.25 million to the Yakult Swallows, his team in Japan's Central League.

        The Dodgers have until midnight Feb.8 to work out a contract with the 28-year-old left-hander, who was 12-6 with a 3.39 ERA and 173 strikeouts in 175 innings last season.

        INDIANS:

        Reliever Mark Wohlers signed a two-year contract. He was 4-1 with a 4.26 ERA in 61 regular-season appearances with the Yankees and Reds last year.

        DIAMONDBACKS:

        Infielder Craig Counsell agreed to a $7.25million, three-year deal. He played in 141 games, batting .275 with 38 RBI last season.

        RED SOX:

        Pitcher Pedro Martinez has been throwing without pain for three weeks and is expected to be ready for spring training, manager Joe Kerrigan said.
       Kerrigan has not spoken to Martinez since the end of the season, but the Red Sox ace has been in touch with the team's trainer and strength coach.

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