The terms were not disclosed. The sides agreed that Guillen will not rejoin the Angels for the remainder of the regular season.

Guillen was suspended Sept. 26 following his outburst after being removed for a pinch runner the previous day. The players' union filed a grievance Sept. 27.

Anaheim began the day tied with Oakland for the AL West lead. If the Angels win the division, they will have until the day of their playoff opener to decide whether to put Guillen on the postseason roster.

GOOD DEED: Nine youngsters found and returned to the police box-seat tickets for New York Yankees playoff games.

"It's a real tribute to their honesty and total integrity," Yankees owner George Steinbrenner said Friday in a statement.

The tickets belonged to Wachovia bank. Only four of 70 tickets in a package worth $20,000 that apparently fell off a delivery truck Monday are still missing.

"I am absolutely amazed by their honesty," spokeswoman Fran Durst said.

Because the tickets - some worth $2,600 each - are for bank customers, the bank will treat the boys and their parents to a New Jersey Nets game Dec. 10 against New Orleans from its luxury box at the Continental Airlines Arena.

The Yankees also gave the boys and their parents tickets to Thursday night's 6-4 win over the Minnesota Twins that captured the AL East title.

CUBS: WGN-TV analyst Steve Stone met Friday with Chicago Cubs president Andy MacPhail, general manager Jim Hendry and manager Dusty Baker after the broadcaster questioned managerial strategy and criticized the team's approach.

During a postgame TV show Thursday, Stone wondered about Baker's moves in the 12th inning of a 2-1 loss to the Reds.

Later that night, he went on a talk show on WGN radio and criticized the team for making excuses. WGN and the Cubs are both owned by the same company, Tribune Co.

A former major-leaguer, Stone is in his 20th year as a Cubs broadcaster.

BRAVES: Right-hander Jaret Wright, hit in the right ankle by a line drive last Tuesday, threw in the bullpen before Friday's game and is expected to make his start in the playoffs next week.

• Bobby Cox, who earlier this week became the ninth manager to get 2,000 wins, said he has no plans to retire soon.

"It's kind of year to year. I really, really enjoy the game and still love it, and I don't know what the heck I'd do if I weren't a part of the game of baseball," he said.

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