AROUND THE HORN Baseball news

Trade: All-Star closer Billy Wagner was traded from the cost-cutting Houston Astros to the Philadelphia Phillies for right-hander Brandon Duckworth, and minor league right-handers Taylor Buchholz and Ezequiel Astacio. It's the first move in what could be another interesting off-season for the Phillies. Philadelphia hopes to land a top starter and setup reliever. Among the starters the Phillies are considering are Chicago White Sox's Bartolo Colon, Montreal's Javier Vazquez and Arizona's Curt Schilling. Vazquez or Schilling would have to be acquired through a trade. Kevin Millwood, who pitched last season for the Phillies, is a free agent. It's unlikely he'll return. Wagner was 1-4 with a 1.78 ERA last season and had 44 saves in 47 chances, making a career-high 78 appearances. Duckworth, 27, was 4-7 with a 4.94 ERA in 18 starts and six relief appearances. Buchholz, 22, went 9-11 with a 3.55 ERA in 25 games for Double-A Reading of the Eastern League. Astacio, who turns 24 today, was 15-5 with a 3.29 ERA at Class-A Clearwater of the Florida State League.White Sox: Ozzie Guillen is back with the Chicago White Sox, this time as the team's manager. The three-time All-Star shortstop was hired Monday to replace Jerry Manuel, who was fired Sept. 29 after the White Sox failed to reach the playoffs for the second straight year. Guillen has no managerial experience and has spent the past two seasons as the third base coach for the Florida Marlins. But he made it clear how badly he wanted this job, and his passion won over general manager Kenny Williams and owner Jerry Reinsdorf.Red Sox: Dodgers third base coach and former Red Sox infielder Glenn Hoffman interviewed for the job Monday as the team searched for a successor to Grady Little. Hoffman, 45, talked to general manager Theo Epstein and one of his assistants, along with co-owner Tom Werner and team president Larry Lucchino during seven hours of meetings. Hoffman was the first candidate to interview for the position left vacant when Little was let go after the season. The Red Sox have also received permission to interview Anaheim Angels pitching coach Bud Black, and they hope to talk to him later in the week.Yankees: Don Mattingly has been persuaded by owner George Steinbrenner to become the team's hitting coach. While no announcement was made Monday, the hiring of the six-time All-Star and former Yankees captain was disclosed by a baseball official with knowledge of the team's decision. A news conference was expected today. He replaces Rick Down, who was fired last week after New York hit just .140 with runners in scoring position during its six-game loss to Florida in the World Series. Willie Randolph, who had been third base coach for the last 10 years, becomes bench coach in place of Don Zimmer, who quit the day after the Series loss, saying he would never again work for Steinbrenner. Braves: All-Star pitcher Russ Ortiz will be back for another season. The Braves exercised an option for a second year on Ortiz, who led the National League last season with a career-high 21 wins. Acquired from San Francisco last off-season for left-hander Damian Moss and a minor leaguer, Ortiz was 21-7 with a 3.81 ERA in 34 starts for Atlanta.Cardinals: Jeff Fassero's $1.5 million option was declined and the pitcher then filed for free agency. Fassero, 40, was 1-7 with a 5.68 ERA in 77 2/3 innings over 62 games last season. The left-hander struck out 55, walked 34 and had three saves in six chances. He becomes the 13th St. Louis player to file for free agency, a group that includes pitchers Cal Eldred, Sterling Hitchcock, Steve Kline, Lance Painter, Russ Springer, Garrett Stephenson and Brett Tomko. The other Cardinals who have filed are catchers Chris Widger and Joe Girardi; infielder Miguel Cairo; and outfielders Orlando Palmeiro and Eduardo A. Perez. Also, St. Louis declined options on Gold Glove second baseman Fernando Vina and right-hander Chris Carpenter.Free agents: Catcher Ivan Rodriguez filed for free agency, nine days after helping the Florida Marlins win the World Series. Rodriguez also became a free agent after the 2002 season. When he didn't find a deal to his liking, he agreed Jan. 20 to a $10 million, one-year contract. Florida outfielders Todd Hollandsworth and Gerald Williams also filed Monday. Thirteen players filed in all, raising the total to 196. Also filing were relievers Antonio Osuna and Gabe White, whose options were declined by the New York Yankees last Friday.Padres: Former general manager Randy Smith was rehired by San Diego as director of professional and international scouting, his third stint with the club. Smith, 40, spent last season as a consultant to the Padres. He had been general manager of the Detroit Tigers from 1995 until being fired early in the 2002 season.Marlins: Boxing promoter Don King wants the team to build a ballpark on 54 acres of property he owns in Palm Beach County. King owns a jai-alai fronton in Mangonia Park that he said would be an ideal site for the World Series champions' proposed park, spokesman Robert Weneck said. If the ballpark has a roof, King would stage boxing matches in arena during the off-season.