WINTER MEETINGS Lots of talk, little action at baseball's swap meet

The Yankees and Red Sox are still pursuing Expos pitcher Bartolo Colon.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Baseball's annual swap meet turned out to be more of a gab fest.
Agents and general managers spent four days at the Opryland Hotel laying the groundwork for deals instead of making them.
Just five significant trades took place, and the only major league free agents agreeing to deals were Edgardo Alfonzo, Mike Stanton, Mark Loretta, Deivi Cruz, Matt Stairs, Todd Zeile and Cris Carpenter.
General managers met Monday and adopted a recommendation on a minimum age for bat boys, saying it will be 14 or 16, depending on legal advice.
"The commissioner will make that ruling," said Sandy Alderson, the executive vice president for baseball operations in the commissioner's office.
The seven free-agent signings, for about $40 million, were one more than last year in Boston. In comparison, teams committed $739.2 million to 25 players in Dallas in 2000.
Possible deals
Some deals could be coming soon. The agent for catcher Ivan Rodriguez held discussions with Baltimore and the Cubs, Roger Clemens' agents had more talks with the New York Yankees, and agent Scott Boras left open the possibility that Greg Maddux might accept salary arbitration with Atlanta by Thursday's deadline.
"It's going to be a busy Wednesday, Thursday and Friday," agent Jeff Boris said.
Many teams and agents said Montreal's trade talks clogged the marketplace, with clubs wondering whether they had a chance to obtain pitchers Bartolo Colon or Javier Vazquez.
"I would have liked to get a deal done," Expos GM Omar Minaya said. "I listened to offers, and it was obvious teams were interested in my players. Ideally, it would have gotten done. But it's fine that it didn't."
Stanton, a stalwart in the Yankees' bullpen for six years, stayed in New York by agreeing to a $9 million, three-year contract from the Mets. He will make yearly salaries of $2 million, $3 million and $4 million.
"This is where I wanted to be," Stanton said. "I'm happy we got it done."
Stanton went 7-1 with a 3.00 ERA and six saves in 79 games and became an All-Star for the first time.
This was the second move made by the Mets at the winter meetings. On Sunday, they traded problematic shortstop Rey Ordonez to Tampa Bay for infielders Russ Johnson and Josh Pressley.
Other moves
In other moves Monday, San Diego signed Loretta to a $1.25 million, one-year deal, and Atlanta traded infielder Wes Helms and lefty John Foster to Milwaukee for left-hander Ray King.
The Expos still are in talks about dealing Colon, a 20-game winner last season, to either Boston or the Yankees.
"It's a combination of how much money they want to give and the players," Minaya said. "It's a long process, because you're talking to the general managers, but you have to get approval from the owners."
In exchange for Colon, Minaya asked the Yankees for pitcher Orlando Hernandez, first baseman Nick Johnson, outfielder Juan Rivera, another prospect and money to pay Hernandez's salary, a baseball official said on the condition of not being identified.
"I have not made an offer at this point," Yankees GM Brian Cashman said. "They have made an offer without flexibility. We'll keep talking."
Minaya asked Boston for pitcher Casey Fossum, third baseman Shea Hillenbrand and another player, according to a second baseball official.
"The deals that make sense for him in terms of players and salary do not make sense for us," Red Sox GM Theo Epstein said.
If the Yankees obtain Colon, they would cut off negotiations with Clemens. The six-time Cy Young Award winner, who is 40, is seven wins shy of 300 and wants to stay with New York.
Clemens' agent, Randy Hendricks, said the two sides are only 10 percent apart on a deal, but Cashman wouldn't characterize the talks.
"We've had good discussions," Cashman said. "He's educated us and we've educated them on what's important to both sides."