BASEBALL Calls to Braves go unanswered, so Tom Glavine dials up Mets

The Padres' Phil Nevin said he vetoed a trade to Cincinnati for Ken Griffey Jr.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK -- Right up until the end, Tom Glavine held out hope the Atlanta Braves would make one more offer.
They never did.
So several hours later, the most sought-after pitcher on the free-agent market reached agreement with the New York Mets on a three-year contract worth $35 million.
"It's almost surreal that it happened," Glavine said Thursday. "I never thought I would play for someone else. I thought I would play my whole career with the Braves. I held out hope that things would work out, but they didn't. There's a lot of emotions. It's a tough time."
Glavine's contract includes an option for a fourth year, based on innings pitched, that could make the deal worth $42.5 million.
Nevin vetoes swap
SAN DIEGO -- The Cincinnati Reds and San Diego Padres agreed to trade Ken Griffey Jr. for Phil Nevin last weekend but the deal died when Nevin wouldn't waive his no-trade clause.
Nevin said Thursday that he told Padres general manager Kevin Towers that he wants to stay in San Diego, where he resurrected his career in 1999 after arriving as a backup catcher in a spring training trade with Anaheim.
Erstad has surgery
LOS ANGELES -- Anaheim Angels outfielder Darin Erstad underwent surgery on his right hand Thursday to remove part of a fractured bone.
Red Sox sign pitchers
BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox signed right-handers Willie Banks and Ryan Rupe to contracts for next season on Thursday.
Banks, 33, went 2-1 with a 3.23 ERA and one save in 29 relief appearances for the Red Sox last season. In 39 innings he struck out 26 and walked 14.
In nine years, Banks is 31-39 with a 4.75 ERA, with 428 strikeouts and 302 walks.
Wall coming in
DETROIT -- Comerica Park will not be quite so cavernous next season.
The Detroit Tigers are reducing the distance from home plate to the left-center field wall from 395 to 370 feet, where it had been in the ballpark's first three seasons.
The rest of the distances will remain the same: 345 feet down the left-field line, 420 feet in center, 365 feet to right-center and 330 feet down the right-field line. The flagpole, which was in play in center, will be out of play.
Pudge's career nears ending
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Ivan Rodriguez would part ways with the Texas Rangers on Saturday, unless a new contract is signed or the team offers salary arbitration for the 10-time All-Star catcher.
Texas also faces a Saturday deadline to sign free agent left-hander Kenny Rogers (13-8, 3.84 ERA last season) to a new deal. The pitcher's last contract contains a clause that prevents the Rangers from offering salary arbitration.
If free agents aren't offered arbitration and don't sign by Saturday, they can't re-sign with their former teams until May 1.
Andy Benes retires
ST. LOUIS -- Andy Benes, who's long hinted he would like to leave baseball on his own terms, made his retirement official Thursday. He told general manager Walt Jocketty during an hour-long meeting.
Benes finished the season 5-4 with a 2.78 ERA. After the All-Star break, he was 5-2 with an NL-leading 1.86 ERA in 15 appearances.
Expos' moves
NEW YORK -- Bartolo Colon, Javier Vazquez and Vladimir Guerrero might be available for the right price.
The Montreal Expos have concluded they will have to shed some payroll in 2003 to keep to the budget given them by the commissioner's office.
Expos general manager Omar Minaya began calling other GMs Thursday, telling them to think about proposals to bring to the winter meetings, which start Dec. 13 in Nashville, Tenn.
Cubs sign lease
CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs agreed Thursday to a five-year lease for a baseball facility in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic.
The Cubs will share the facility, due to be completed next fall, with two other major league organizations that were not identified. It will have dormitory rooms, a cafeteria, two fields, batting cages, weight room, clubhouses and administrative offices, and will be able to house 60 players.
The facility also will have a classroom for English instruction.
Rockies pitcher arrested
FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- Colorado Rockies pitcher Shawn Chacon was arrested for allegedly hitting a man in the face with a beer bottle during a bar scuffle.
Chacon, 24, faces a charge of third-degree assault, police said. He is scheduled to appear in court Dec. 23 and could be sentenced to up to 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine if convicted.