The Associated Press

Left-hander Darrell May agreed to a $4.95 million two-year contract with the Kansas City Royals, avoiding salary arbitration.

May, 31, was 10-8 with one shutout and a career-best 3.77 ERA last year, leading the team in victories. He also set career highs for wins, appearances (35), starts (32), innings (210) and strikeouts (115).

May made 12 starts of seven or more innings and failed to go six innings in just seven starts.

ASTROS: The team is about to add free-agent reliever Dave Veres to its roster.

"I've talked to his agent, but there has been no deal," general manager Gerry Hunsicker said Friday.

Veres started his major-league career with the Astros in 1994 and was traded to Montreal after the 1997 season. He pitched for the Cubs last season and was 2-1 with a 4.68 ERA in 31 games.

EXPOS: Eddie Rodriguez was hired as manager Frank Robinson's bench coach.

Rodriguez, who spent the last three seasons on manager Bob Brenly's staff with the Arizona Diamondbacks, replaces Brad Mills, who joined the Boston Red Sox.

The 44-year-old Rodriguez was third-base coach for the Toronto Blue Jays in 1998 and also has coached in the minor leagues for Toronto, Arizona and Anaheim.

ROCKIES: Left-hander Shawn Estes agreed to a minor-league contract. Estes, 30, will get a $600,000, one-year contract if he is added to the 40-man roster. He must pass a physical before the deal can be finalized.

After winning 19 games for San Francisco in 1997 and 15 games in 2000, Estes has gone 22-31 the past three seasons, including 8-11 with a 5.73 ERA for the Chicago Cubs last year.

TIGERS: Ivan Rodriguez's agent made a counteroffer Friday to Detroit, which already has offered the 10-time All-Star catcher a deal worth $40 million over four years.

"We communicated today and continued to talk," agent Scott Boras said, without going into details on his proposal.

Rodriguez, the top free agent still unsigned, was at the White House on Friday along with the Florida Marlins to celebrate their World Series victory over the New York Yankees. He did not speak with reporters.

YANKEES: The team hired former pitcher Tommy John as the manager of their Single-A minor-league affiliate on Staten Island.

John, 60, had a 288-231 record for six teams over 26 major-league seasons. He played eight seasons with the Yankees in two stints, ending his career with the team in 1989.

"Tommy brings a wealth of baseball experience to Staten Island and we look forward to watching him achieve the success that our fans expect," Staten Island Yankees chief executive Josh Getzler said in a press release.

• Reliever Steve Karsay reported no problems Friday after his fourth bullpen session in the past two weeks.

Karsay threw 30 fastballs at the Yankees' minor-league complex. He did not pitch last season because of a shoulder injury that required surgery in May.

"We're increasing the intensity each time," he said. "We'll start throwing breaking balls in two weeks."

Calendar

Feb. 1-21 - Salary-arbitration hearings.

Feb. 14 - Voluntary reporting date for pitchers, catchers and injured players for New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Feb. 19 - Voluntary reporting date for pitchers, catchers and injured players on all other teams, and other players on Yankees and Devil Rays.

Feb. 24 - Voluntary reporting date for other players on other teams.

March 2-11 - Period for renewing contracts of unsigned players.

March 2 - Mandatory reporting date.

March 17 - Last day to place a player on unconditional release waivers and pay 30 days' termination pay instead of 45 days'.

March 30-31 - Opening series, New York Yankees vs. Tampa Bay, Tokyo.

March 31 - Last day to request unconditional release waivers on a player without having to pay his full 2004 salary.