Third baseman Scott Rolen and the Phillies agreed to an $8.6 million, one-year contract.

        First baseman Travis Lee and right-hander Robert Person also avoided arbitration by signing one-year deals.

        Rolen's contract includes incentives and is the largest in team history. He made $5.5 million in 2001.

        Rolen is eligible to become a free agent after this season. The Phillies wanted to sign the Gold Glover to a long-term deal, but he made it clear that he wants to test the market.

        Rolen batted .289 with 25 homers, 107 RBI and won his third Gold Glove award last year.

        In other money matters Friday:

        • Pitchers Freddy Garcia and John Halama agreed to one-year contracts with the Mariners. Garcia will get $3.8 million, Halama $1.4 million. Garcia, a right-hander, was 18-6 last season with an American League-leading 3.05 ERA and 163 strikeouts.Ù The left-handed Halama, 29, had a 10-7 record and 4.74 ERA last year in 31 games, going 4-1 with a 1.84 ERA in 14 relief appearances.

        • Kerry Wood and the Cubs agreed to a one-year contract worth $3,695,000, avoiding salary arbitration. The 1998 NL Rookie of the Year went 12-6 with a 3.36 ERA in 28 starts last season, showing the team he had recovered from elbow ligament replacement surgery that caused him to miss all of 1999.

        • Yankees All-Star catcher Jorge Posada, still working toward signing a multiyear contract, asked for $7.75 million and was offered $6.7 million.

        • The Marlins signed right-hander Ryan Dempster, second baseman Luis Castillo, shortstop Alex Gonzalez, first baseman Derrek Lee and catcher Mike Redmond to one-year contracts. • Pitcher Kevin Millwood agreed to a $3.9 million, one-year contract with the Braves.Ù

        • The Expos signed pitcher Javier Vazquez and catcher Michael Barrett to one-year contracts.

        Shortstop Orlando Cabrera and pitcher Carl Pavano exchanged figures with the team.

        • Reliever Ugueth Urbina agreed to a $6.7 million contract with the Boston Red Sox and outfielder Trot Nixon agreed to a $2.7 million, one-year deal.

        TWINS:

        Minnesota president Jerry Bell spoke Friday with Alabama businessman Donald Watkins, who wants to buy the team from Carl Pohlad, but didn't settle on a date for a meeting. Watkins, trying to become the first black controlling owner of a major league baseball team, acknowledged the call and said “the negotiation process has begun.”

        So far, Watkins' courtship has been highly public.

        “You could expect that it would be more private,” Bell said. “Things usually go better that way.”

        Watkins has said he would like to buy the team and build a stadium with private money. Pohlad hasn't said what his asking price is, although the team has been valued at $100 million to $150 million.

        JAIL FOR GILKEY:

        Former Atlanta Braves outfielder Bernard Gilkey was sentenced Friday to four months in jail and five years' probation as a persistent drunken driver.

        St. Louis County Circuit Judge John Ross also ordered Gilkey, 35, to perform 500 hours of community service, undergo drug-and-alcohol treatment and refrain from driving for the next five years.

        Ross initially sentenced Gilkey to five years in prison on a felony drunken driving count from April, then suspended the sentence and ordered probation.

It's a pretty cool spot Analysis: Ticket price won't keep fans away Boone, Encarnacion ink deals Baseball notebook

It's Cards, Cats and coaches
Pitino looks to trap Bearcats with press
SULLIVAN: UC-Louisville
XU makes itself at home on road
Fog Bowl foes roll into Soldier Field
Parcells rejects Buccaneers' coaching offer
A big win for the little guys
Bacon trips Alter
Brady scores 42 in Reading's OT victory
Holy Cross rolls on in All 'A'
Kentucky boys basketball roundup
Moeller gym looks like winner
Ohio boys basketball roundup
Reading star Wynn picks Florida over UC
Unbeaten NewCath torches Bellevue
Vikings rally, but can't catch Warriors
How Enquirer poll teams fared
Tristate area scores
Ohio boys basketball scores
Ohio girls basketball scores
Kentucky boys basketball scores
Kentucky girls basketball scores
Indiana boys basketball scores
Indiana girls basketball scores
Length-of-the court basket is talk of Toledo
Basketball Q&A with Perry and Schmidt
Enquirer Tipoff page
Five questions with Rick Pitino
How 'sweet' it is
ND's Graves has UK in his blood
RedHawks brace for Athens 'welcome'
Surprise Big Ten leaders set to square off
AHL: Ducks lose to Griffins
Bucks win streak at six
Iffy, Timeless Love in Cincinnati Trophy Stakes
Bobby Hull watches his records fall
Robitaille passes Hull's milestone
Coming up this week

• Return to Reds front page...