The Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS - All-Star catcher A.J. Pierzynski was traded Friday by the Minnesota Twins to the San Francisco Giants for right-handed pitcher Joe Nathan and two minor-leaguers.

Pierzynski, 26, hit .312 with 35 doubles, 11 homers and 74 RBI in 137 games for the Twins last season. An All-Star in 2002, Pierzynski will earn a significant raise through salary arbitration from the $365,000 he made in 2003.

"It's one of those things that was eventually going to happen," Pierzynski said. "I was one of the first guys people had talked about. And they've got the guy coming behind me."

Joe Mauer, the top pick in the 2001 amateur draft, is waiting to take over as Minnesota's catcher. Mauer was the Twins' minor-league player of the year, hitting .335 with Class A Fort Myers and .341 for Double-A New Britain.

Nathan, 26, went 12-4 with a 2.96 ERA in 78 appearances for San Francisco last season. He led NL relievers in victories.

San Francisco catcher Benito Santiago is a free agent.

ALL-ROOKIE TEAM: Hideki Matsui didn't make the Topps All-Rookie Team, either.

The Japanese outfielder who starred for the New York Yankees was beaten out by Tampa Bay's Rocco Baldelli, Cleveland's Jody Gerut and Milwaukee's Scott Podsednik.

Earlier this week, Matsui was beaten by Kansas City shortstop Angel Berroa in voting for American League Rookie of the Year. Yankees owner George Steinbrenner criticized two voters who left Matsui off their ballots - the two voters said they didn't think veterans of the Japanese major leagues should be eligible.

Florida's Dontrelle Willis, the NL Rookie of the Year, was selected as the top left-handed pitcher, and Arizona's Brandon Webb was the top right-hander.

The infield included Mark Teixeira of Texas at first, Bo Hart of St. Louis at second, Ty Wigginton of the New York Mets at third and Berroa at shortstop.

Miguel Olivo of the Chicago White Sox was the top catcher.

Balloting was done by major-league managers in September. Managers could vote for players on their own teams.

RED SOX: The team re-signed reliever Mike Timlin to a deal that guarantees him $2.75 million.

Timlin was Boston's most reliable reliever last year, going 6-4 with two saves and a 3.55 ERA and leading the team with 72 appearances.

INDIANS: The team will not pick up the option year for pitcher Danys Baez. The option would have been worth $5 million for 2004.

Baez, 2-9 with a 3.81 ERA and 25 saves last season, lost his role as the Indians' closer to David Riske.

The Indians retain his rights until they have to offer him arbitration Dec. 20.

DEVIL RAYS: The team added experience to a young pitching staff, giving one-year contracts to left-hander John Halama and right-hander Paul Abbott.

They each got $600,000 salaries for 2004 with $150,000 more in performance bonuses.

Halama pitched last season for the Oakland Athletics after four years with Seattle. He went 3-5 for the Athletics with a 4.22 ERA in 35 games, including 13 starts.

Abbott, 36, was 31-2 with a 5.29 ERA in 10 games (eight starts) after the Royals acquired him Aug. 8.