The Associated Press

DENVER - Denny Neagle wants the Colorado Rockies to trade him.

"They need payroll flexibility, and I want to go to a place where I am more appreciated," he was quoted as saying in Friday's editions of the Denver Post. "I know that I haven't lived up to my end of the bargain. But honestly, it hasn't worked out here for either of us, and it would be best for both parties if this marriage ended."

Neagle said he would consider restructuring his contract through deferrals, if he gets sent to a desirable location. The 34-year-old left-hander twice vetoed trades to the Detroit Tigers last summer.

Neagle, who was 8-11 with a 5.26 ERA last season, is owed $37 million during the remainder of his $51 million, five-year contract.

The Rockies have tried to trade Neagle for 11 months, but his big contract and performance have stifled offers.

MARINERS:

The team agreed Friday to a $7 million, two-year contract with longtime catcher Dan Wilson, who had been eligible for free agency.

Wilson, 33, hit a career-best .295 (106-for-359) with six homers and 44 RBI last season, when the Mariners posted their second-best victory total with 93 wins but didn't make the playoffs.

The team has scheduled interviews for next week with four finalists to succeed manager Lou Piniella.

"We'll narrow it down, probably after Tuesday," general manager Pat Gillick said Friday. "We'll interview two candidates on Monday and two on Tuesday, and then we'll narrow it down from there."

Jim Riggleman and Sam Perlozzo are scheduled to be interviewed Monday, and Gillick said he will sit down with Bob Melvin and Buddy Bell the following day.

"There's a possibility that somebody could become available, but right now we still have four candidates," said Gillick, who already has eliminated former Giants manager Dusty Baker.

GIANTS:

Closer Robb Nen had arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder Friday, and he's expected to be ready for spring training.

Nen, 32, had 43 saves and a 6-2 record with a 2.20 ERA.

San Francisco is awaiting Nen's decision on whether he'll exercise his $8.6 million option or take a $2million buyout and become a free agent. He must decide by Monday.

CUBS:

Dusty Baker is going job hunting for the first time in 10 years.

He won't need to bring his resume when he meets with the Chicago Cubs on Monday, however. The Cubs already have all the information they need about the three-time NL manager of the year.

Instead, Baker might be the one who asks most of the questions as he considers taking over a team that hasn't had consecutive winning seasons since 1972, when the Cubs finished a run of six straight records above .500.

"I want to talk to them about the minor leagues, the day games, the city, the prospects, the expectations," Baker told the Chicago Tribune for a story in Friday editions.

He said he's not sure how many years he'd want on a new contract.

"Two is too short. Three is about the time you should start showing some results. Four is probably about right," he said.

The San Francisco Giants announced Wednesday night that Baker wouldn't return, despite nearly leading the team to a World Series title. The Giants blew a 5-0 lead in Game 6 and lost the final game the next night.

Cubs general manager Jim Hendry was on the phone with Baker the day after San Francisco's announcement. Baker had a hunting trip planned for this weekend, so the two men arranged a meeting for Monday.

"We had a nice conversation for 10-to-15 minutes," Hendry said Thursday night from Arizona, where the Cubs were holding organizational meetings.

The Tribune reported that Monday's meeting will take place in San Francisco. Cubs president Andy MacPhail also is expected to attend.

"We want to get the right guy," Hendry said. "We certainly expressed our interest to Dusty, and he seems interested in us. Hopefully we'll move forward at a good rate."

Calls to Baker's agent, Jeff Moorad, weren't immediately returned Friday.

While Hendry doesn't have a timetable for naming a manager, it's clear Baker is the man the Cubs want.

Chicago fired interim manager Bruce Kimm on the last day of the season. Since then, seven other teams have hired new managers, while Hendry patiently waited.

He did interview Bob Melvin, Ken Macha, Buck Showalter and Fredi Gonzalez, but no one since the World Series began.

"I think my actions have spoken. We wanted to wait. He did a great job in San Francisco," Hendry said. "He's a winner, a proven winner and a very positive guy. He would be a quality manager."

Baker is equally enamored of the Cubs.

"If they're interested," he told the Tribune, "I'm interested."

Managing the Cubs would certainly be a challenge for the 53-year-old Baker. The team hasn't won a World Series since 1908 and has made the playoffs only three times since the 1945 World Series. The Cubs were 67-95 this past season, their third 90-loss campaign in the last four years.

But the Cubs have plenty going for them, too. The Tribune Co., which owns the team, could afford to give Baker a significant salary boost, and the team has a strong young pitching staff that includes Kerry Wood, Mark Prior and Matt Clement.

The Cubs play in one of the best parks in baseball, and have diehard fans who would revere Baker for life if he took the Cubs to the World Series. It also would be a fresh start for Baker, who left San Francisco in part because of differences with owner Peter Magowan.

Then there's Sammy Sosa. Baker got along well with Barry Bonds in San Francisco, and said he would do the same with Sosa.

"I'll talk to Sammy," he told the Tribune. "It's his town and his team, and I wouldn't come in to change that. We can work it out. We'll just have to talk. I'd tell him you want leadership from your best player. Sometimes you get it and sometimes you don't, but you want it.

"Sammy is to Chicago what Barry is to San Francisco - the poster boy for the team," Baker added. "Only with Barry, there's more guys on the poster."

PADRES:

Former Milwaukee manager Davey Lopes was hired as first base coach, the same post he held for five seasons with the Padres.

Lopes served as Padres first base coach from 1995-99 and managed the Brewers for two full seasons. He was fired after the Brewers' 3-12 start last season.