BASEBALL Payton leads free-agent parade

Javy Lopez is close to signing a deal with the Orioles.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Outfielder Jay Payton and reliever Braden Looper were among 58 players dumped onto the free-agent market Sunday after their teams failed to offer them 2004 contracts.
The moves further glut a market that already has been soft -- a record 210 players filed for free agency after the World Series, and just 93 have agreed to new contracts.
Javy Lopez, one of the unsigned players, was on the verge of finding a new team Sunday. The All-Star catcher was working on finalizing an agreement with Baltimore on a three-year deal worth about $23 million, and the Orioles hoped to wrap it up Monday.
"It's very close, but it's not completely done yet," Orioles spokesman Bill Stetka said. "We would hope to have an announcement in the morning."
It appeared Tuesday would be the big day in the long-running Alex Rodriguez-to-Boston saga. Texas owner Tom Hicks set a 5 p.m. Tuesday deadline for the trade, which would sent outfielder Manny Ramirez to the Rangers.
"This is a critical time in the offseason for us. There are a lot of non-tenders on the market and we have to make decisions," Hicks said on the Rangers' Web site. "We have to lock in and make plans for this season."
Looper released
Colorado cut Payton loose after agreeing to a contract with Jeromy Burnitz that guarantees him $1.5 million, and Florida let go of Looper after picking up Armando Benitez for $3.5 million.
Also cut free were Cleveland pitcher Danys Baez, and Baltimore pitchers Damian Moss and Jason Johnson.
Others made free agents included: Tampa Bay infielders Marlon Anderson and infielder Sandberg; Cincinnati outfielders Ruben Mateo and Reggie Taylor and infielder Russell Branyan; Colorado pitcher Scott Elarton; Detroit catcher Ben Petrick; and Toronto pitchers Trever Miller and Cliff Politte.
Oakland pitcher Mark Redman became a free agent Saturday night when he and the Athletics failed to come to an agreement, but they reached a three-year deal worth about $12 million on Sunday.
The Dec. 20 deadline has become increasingly important in recent years because teams are squeezing players to agree to contracts by threatening to make them free agents.
Players with more than three years of major league service who are offered contracts are eligible for salary arbitration.
30 sign deals
Facing the deadline, 20 players agreed to deals Friday and 10 more Saturday, a group that included Seattle pitcher Freddy Garcia ($6,875,000), Florida shortstop Alex Gonzalez ($6.2 million over two years) and Marlins pitcher A.J. Burnett ($2.5 million).
Catcher Michael Barrett, cut loose by the Cubs on Saturday, agreed Sunday on a $1.55 million, one-year contract with Chicago. By letting him become a free agent first, Chicago got around the rule limiting the team from cutting his 2003 salary, $2.6 million, by more than 20 percent.
The deal ended a whirlwind week for Barrett, who was on three teams in six days. The Montreal Expos traded him to Oakland on Monday, and the A's turned around and shipped him to Chicago on Tuesday.
"We've always liked him," Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said. "Dick Pole was the pitching coach in Montreal in 2002, and Dick has spoken very highly of him."
Chicago then traded catcher Damian Miller and $800,000 to Oakland on Sunday for a player to be named.
Ledee inked
Also Sunday, Ricky Ledee and the Philadelphia Phillies avoided salary arbitration, agreeing to a $1,225,000 contract. Ledee, 30, was used primarily as a pinch-hitter last season when he hit .247 with 13 home runs and 46 RBIs. He tied for third in the National League with two pinch-hit home runs.
Boston didn't offer contracts to six players Saturday -- outfielder Gabe Kapler, infielders Lou Merloni and Damian Jackson, and pitchers Scott Sauerbeck, Edwin Almonte and Jason Shiell -- but Kapler, Almonte and Shiell are expected to re-sign with the Red Sox shortly.
Among those who agreed to one-year contracts Saturday were Oakland designated hitter Erubiel Durazo ($2.1 million), Boston catcher Doug Mirabelli ($825,000), Atlanta outfielder Gary Matthews Jr. ($800,000), Toronto shortstop Chris Woodward ($775,000), San Diego utilityman Brian Buchanan ($650,000), Milwaukee right-hander Luis Vizcaino ($550,000) and St. Louis outfielder Kerry Robinson ($450,000).