The Associated Press

TUCSON, Ariz. - Rockies pitcher Mike Hampton will rethink blocking a proposed six-player deal that would send him from Colorado to the Florida Marlins, the pitcher's agent said.

The Marlins and Rockies agreed Wednesday to a trade that would move Hampton and outfielder Juan Pierre to the Marlins for catcher Charles Johnson, outfielder Preston Wilson, left-hander Vic Darensbourg and infielder Pablo Ozuna.

Hampton and Johnson both have no-trade clauses and have until midday Saturday to decide whether to waive them. Before the deal was agreed to, Hampton said he would block it.

"It was probably premature," Hampton's agent, Mark Rodgers, said Thursday. "We owe it to the Marlins to at least let them make their best sales pitch to Mike. I think they'll have that opportunity."

"Mike is not going to summarily dismiss it and say no way to the Florida Marlins. He might as well take advantage of this time to do what he needs to do to make a good, thoughtful decision."

Johnson, who signed with Florida to live close to his home, also is "deliberating," according to his agent, Scott Boras.

"We'll look into it. It's a big change," Boras said. "He went to Florida for a reason. He knows there's an opportunity in Colorado. It's just something he's beginning to think about."

Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd would not speculate on whether the deal would go through, saying, "I'm in a holding pattern on that."

Florida general manager Larry Beinfest refused to comment on specifics but did say, "I'm hopeful that the work we did here can culminate in something happening."

"We'll see what happens," he said. "I'm optimistic about the work we did and the way that we moved through on a couple of different areas."

Hampton, a 30-year-old left-hander, was 7-15 with a 6.15 ERA this year - the highest in the major leagues among pitchers qualified for the ERA title.

He is 21-28 with a 5.75 ERA since leaving the New York Mets to sign a $121 million, eight-year contract with the Rockies in December 2000, the richest deal for a pitcher. Following a 9-2 start in 2001, he is 12-26 with a 6.62 ERA.

Johnson, a 31-year-old catcher, hit .217 this season with six homers and 36 RBI in 244 at-bats.

The tentative trade was first reported Thursday by the Rocky Mountain News, Palm Beach Post and South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Hampton was quoted in Thursday's editions of the Denver Post as saying he would not approve a trade to Florida.

"It's not going to happen," Hampton told the paper when told a deal was possible.

"They're pretty much in the same situation we're in," Hampton said. "They've been in a cycle where they've been trading good players and going young. If I am going to be traded, I wanted to go to a team that could win right away."

Rodgers said Hampton was open to reconsidering.

"Mike was caught off guard," the agent said. "Mike said to me this morning that this says a lot about the Marlins. They're trying to make their team better.

"Any team that makes this type of move is trying to win. That speaks for itself."

Hampton is owed $84.5 million in salary through 2009, plus $19 million in deferred money from his $21 million signing bonus.

Johnson is due $25 million over the next three years - plus $1 million extra in 2005 if he is traded.

EXPOS: Commissioner Bud Selig, addressing general managers at their annual meeting in Tucson, Ariz., said owners are close to approving a plan that would allow the Montreal Expos to play two 10-game homestands next year in Puerto Rico. That proposal probably will be voted on at an owners' meeting next week in Irving, Texas.

"I'm optimistic the deal will work," Selig said. "I'm hopeful. I'm reluctant to say anything until the deal is done."

Selig also said he would like to establish the Expos' 2003 budget within the next week or so. The commissioner's office determines the team's budget after the other 29 clubs bought the Expos from Jeffrey Loria in February.

Montreal's offseason plans are on hold until general manager Omar Minaya knows what his payroll will be, but Selig expects Frank Robinson to return as the Expos' manager.

RANGERS: Outfielder Rusty Greer will miss the 2003 season after having four offseason operations, but he doesn't believe it means the end of his career.

Greer, 33, is scheduled to undergo rotator cuff surgery Wednesday. He also faces surgery to clean torn cartilage from his right knee, repair his right hip and transplant a ligament in his left elbow.

"If everything goes right and goes well, I should get better and be able to play again," Greer said. "That's my goal."

Greer played in a career-low 51 games last season and hit .296 with home run and 17 RBI.

WHITE SOX: First baseman Paul Konerko, who reached 100 RBI and made the American League All-Star team for the first time this year, agreed to a $23 million, three-year contract with Chicago.

"Any time a team is going to go and offer you a multiyear deal, whether it be three or four years, they're saying they are committed to you and believe in you," Konerko said. "It's me saying I don't want to go anywhere else."

Konerko, 26, batted a career-high .304 with 27 home runs and 104 RBI in 151 games for the White Sox last season.

He finished second on the team in hits (173), doubles (30), slugging percentage (.498), total bases (284), average and RBI, and was third in home runs and runs scored (81).

Konerko will get $6.25 million in 2003, $8 million in 2004 and $8.75 million in 2005. His salary would increase by $500,000 in each of the final two years if he's traded.

Outfielder Aaron Rowand underwent surgery to repair a broken left shoulder blade he suffered in a dirt-bike accident earlier this month. He is expected to be ready for spring training.

YANKEES: Andy Pettitte's $11.5 million option was exercised by New York. He was 13-5 with a 3.27 ERA last season but was limited to 22 starts because of elbow pain.