The Associated Press

CLEVELAND - The Indians, in need of a replacement for Jim Thome, acquired first baseman Travis Hafner and right-hander Aaron Myette from the Texas Rangers on Friday for catcher Einar Diaz and right-hander Ryan Drese.

Hafner, 25, made an impression on Cleveland's management last season, going 4-for-5 with two doubles, a homer and three RBI on Aug.11 at Jacobs Field.

"This isn't a stopgap guy," Indians general manager Mark Shapiro said. "This is something that has been in the works for quite some time. He's a guy who hits for average and power, and he's been one of the best in minor-league baseball. He's a guy we were going to try to trade for regardless of whether we could sign Jim Thome."

Shapiro said Hafner will compete with another young first baseman, Ben Broussard, for Cleveland's starting job. He also said the Indians weren't trying to work out a deal for Reds first baseman Sean Casey, as had been rumored.

Thome, 32, was the most coveted hitter in the free agent market and agreed Monday to an $85million, six-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Hafner split last season between Triple-A Oklahoma and the Rangers. At Oklahoma, Hafner hit .342 with 21 homers and 77 RBI in 110 games. In 23 games with Texas, he hit .242 with one homer and six RBI in 62 at-bats.

Hafner, like Thome, is a left-handed hitter and about the same size - 6 feet 3 and 240 pounds.

"Jim Thome has always been one of my favorite players, and I've watched him a lot. At the same time, I'm just going to go out there and play my game and do the best that I can," Hafner said. "We're similar in that we take a lot of pitches and take a lot of walks."

Diaz, who replaced Sandy Alomar Jr. as the Indians' catcher in 2000, is coming off a difficult season. The 29-year-old was involved in two jarring collisions at the plate and batted .206 with two homers and 16 RBI. He had to pass a physical before the trade could be completed, Shapiro said.

The trade appears to clear more playing time for Cleveland's two catching prospects, Josh Bard and Victor Martinez, who came up to the major leagues last season.

ANGELS: Even while The Walt Disney Co. proceeds with plans to sell the team, it has approved a 33 percent payroll rise to keep the World Series championship roster.

Anaheim's payroll will increase about $20 million from last season's $63 million to keep players such as second baseman Adam Kennedy and first baseman Scott Spiezio.

EXPOS: The players' association agreed to allow Montreal to move 22 home games to Puerto Rico next season. The deal is subject to a joint inspection of San Juan's Hiram Bithorn Stadium by the union and the commissioner's office Dec. 16.

MARINERS: First baseman John Olerud signed a $15.4 million, two-year contract with Seattle and said it will be his final baseball deal. Olerud hit .300 with 22 homers and 102 RBI last season and won his second Gold Glove.

PIRATES: Infielder Abraham Nunez avoided salary arbitration by agreeing to a $675,000, one-year contract with Pittsburgh. Nunez, 26, batted .233 with two home runs and 15 RBI in 112 games last season.

RED SOX: Mike Port, Boston's interim general manager while the team spent the 2002 season looking for a more permanent one, will stay with the team as vice president of baseball operations.

Red Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, a two-time American League batting champion, proposed to soccer star Mia Hamm during the Thanksgiving holiday, the Boston Herald reported. Garciaparra told the newspaper the couple is planning to wed "sometime in the next two years."

WHITE SOX: First baseman/designated hitter Frank Thomas will stay in Chicago after all, agreeing on a one-year contract with three mutual options. Thomas tested the free agent market, but there was little interest in the two-time MVP, who hit .252 with 25 home runs and 92 RBI last season.