The Associated Press

TOKYO - The New York Yankees won the right to negotiate with right-hander Ramon Ramirez of the Hiroshima Carp.

The Yankees' bid of $350,000 was accepted by the Central League team, Carp press officer Satoru Miwa said Saturday.

The 21-year-old native of the Dominican Republic joined Hiroshima last year. He finished the season 0-0 with a 3.00 ERA in two games.

Under the posting system, the negotiating rights for Japanese players can be sold to the major-league team making the highest bid. The winning team then has 30 days to sign the player to a contract.

Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners and Kazuhisa Ishii of the Los Angeles Dodgers also joined the major leagues through the posting system.

CARDINALS: Former home run king Mark McGwire has rejected the team's offer to be an instructor at spring training.

"We invited him to come to serve in any capacity he'd like - spring training instructor would be the proper term - but he decided at this stage of the game he was going to pass on this spring, at least," Cardinals spokesman Brian Bartow said.

But Bartow said hitting instructor Walt Hriniak has accepted manager Tony La Russa's offer to make an early appearance at the team's Jupiter, Fla., training facility.

CARRIBEAN SERIES: Reds pitcher Jose Acevedo struck out 12 in seven innings and Yankees outfielder Raul Mondesi homered, leading the Dominican Republic's Cibao Eagles to a 6-0 victory over Puerto Mayaguez Indians in the Caribbean Series in Puerto Rico.

Acevedo allowed just two hits as the Eagles tied the Indians for first place in the tournament with a 5-1 record. The teams were to play Saturday to decide the championship.

SHORT HOPS: The Florida Marlins beat Vladimir Nunez in the second arbitration case of the year, and the pitcher will make $1.4 million this season instead of the $1.75 million he asked for.

Even after former teammate Ryan Klesko went to San Diego general manager Kevin Towers to endorse John Rocker, the Padres declined to sign the troubled ex-Brave closer. Padres closer Trevor Hoffman may not be ready for Opening Day after rotator-cuff surgery.

Fourth-fifths of the rotation that got the White Sox into the 2000 playoffs will be elsewhere: Mike Sirotka with the Cubs, Jim Parque with Tampa Bay, James Baldwin with Kansas City and Cal Eldred with St. Louis.

Colorado's opening day lineup figures to include just three holdovers - right fielder Larry Walker, first baseman Todd Helton and shortstop Juan Uribe.

Right-hander Anthony Telford and the Houston Astros agreed to a minor-league contract.

Telford, 36, pitched in 20 games for the Texas Rangers last year, going 2-1 with a 6.46 ERA.

Telford has a 22-25 career major-league record and 4.17 ERA.