BASEBALL WINTER MEETINGS Indians ink second baseman, Martinez heads to New York

Seattle nears deal for first baseman Richie Sexson.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Infielder Jose Hernandez and the Cleveland Indians agreed to a $1.8 million, one-year contract Monday.
The deal was contingent on Hernandez passing a physical. He batted .289 with 13 home runs and 29 RBIs in a utility role for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season.
Hernandez could start at second base next year as part of Cleveland's revamped infield. His addition means the team probably has no interest in bringing back All-Star second baseman Ronnie Belliard, who is eligible for arbitration.
Belliard earned $1.1 million this year and could make $3 million in arbitration.
Jhonny Peralta, the MVP of the Triple-A International League last season, will take over at shortstop for nine-time Gold Glove winner Omar Vizquel, who signed with the San Francisco Giants.
Third baseman Casey Blake is headed to right field, making room for Aaron Boone at third.
Pedro to New York
Elsewhere on the final day of baseball's winter meetings, Pedro Martinez picked the New York Mets over the Boston Red Sox, and the Chicago White Sox dealt Carlos Lee to Milwaukee for Scott Podsednik and a reliever on Monday as baseball's annual winter meetings finished with many top stars still searching for teams.
There were just five trades and seven free-agent signings finalized during the four-day session, but several teams struck preliminary agreements with free agents that will be completed later this week.
Richie Sexson and Seattle appeared to be working their way toward a deal, but the first baseman's agent said Baltimore was still in the hunt. The agent for Carlos Delgado, another first baseman, held preliminary talks with the New York Yankees.
Four free-agent agreements were announced, topped by catcher Mike Matheny's $10.5 million, three-year agreement with San Francisco. Right-hander Esteban Yan agreed to a $2.25 million, two-year contract with Anaheim, right-hander Todd Jones finalized a $1.1 million, one-year deal with Florida and outfielder Wil Cordero got a $600,000, one-year contract from the Washington-bound Expos, who also agreed to a minor league deal with outfielder Jeffrey Hammonds.
Late Sunday night, the Toronto Blue Jays and free-agent third baseman Corey Koskie reached preliminary agreement on a $17 million, three-year contract.
More deals coming
As teams headed home, many top free agents remained on the market, including Carlos Beltran, Adrian Beltre, Magglio Ordonez, Derek Lowe, Eric Milton, Jason Varitek, Orlando Cabrera, J.D. Drew, Edgar Renteria and Moises Alou.
Among the deals awaiting completion were Carl Pavano's four-year contract with the Yankees, a deal worth about $39 million, and David Wells' two-year agreement with Boston.
Making the biggest splash of the meetings, Martinez closed in on a four-year deal with the Mets.
"He was a great member of the Red Sox team for seven years, and a certain Hall of Famer," Boston president Larry Lucchino told The Associated Press in an e-mail. "He will be missed, and we are disappointed to have lost him to the Mets and the National League."
Martinez's agent, Fernando Cuza, told the Mets he will attempt to work out a deal with them after New York guaranteed a fourth year, a person involved in the talks said on condition of anonymity.
Mets general manager Omar Minaya expressed confidence about the negotiations with Martinez, but wouldn't detail the discussions.
"The good news is that we're still in dialogue," Minaya said. "Every day that goes by and we are having dialogue is a good day."
Minaya then left baseball's winter meetings and returned to New York, and the sides will work by telephone to finalize the contract language. Cuza did not want to comment on the talks.
Martinez, 33, must pass a physical before the Mets complete the deal.
New York initially offered a $37.5 million, three-year contract with a $12.5 million team option for 2008.
Boston's final proposal was a $40.5 million, three-year deal that contained a club option for 2008, a baseball official said, also on condition of anonymity. The Red Sox thought the Mets' offer was for $56 million over four years, the official said, but a Mets official said that figure was not correct.
A Seattle executive told an agent that the Mariners thought they were close to agreement on a three-year contract with Sexson. An official of another team that had sought the first baseman said the deal being discussed averaged about $11 million.