MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL Damon signs $52 million deal with N.Y. Yankees

The former Red Sox's center fielder agreed to a four-year contract.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The New York Yankees grabbed center fielder Johnny Damon away from the rival Boston Red Sox, reaching a preliminary agreement Tuesday night on a $52 million, four-year contract.
Details of the deal were still being negotiated and Damon must pass a physical, a baseball official said on condition of anonymity because negotiations were not yet final.
The Chicago Cubs added Jacque Jones to their outfield, and the Texas Rangers agreed to acquire pitcher Adam Eaton from San Diego as more players switched teams during a busy week in baseball.
The New York Yankees, seeking more bullpen hope, reached a preliminary agreement with Octavio Dotel, a former closer coming off major elbow surgery. The Los Angeles Dodgers, quickly revamping the roster under new general manager Ned Colletti, finalized a $3.85 million, one-year deal with 38-year-old center fielder Kenny Lofton.
The 30-year-old Jones rejected the Minnesota Twins' salary arbitration offer Monday in favor of a $16 million, three-year contract with the Cubs.
He hit .249 last season with 23 homers and 73 RBIs, the second straight year his average declined following a pair of .300 seasons. He set career highs in 2002 with 27 homers and 85 RBIs.
"I haven't felt good about my batting average," Jones said. "I'm sick about it. I can't stand it. I know I'm much better than a .250 hitter."
Chisox finalize trade
While the Cubs were adding Jones, who left Minnesota after seven seasons, the White Sox finalized their trade to acquire right-hander Javier Vazquez and $4 million from the Arizona Diamondbacks for pitchers Orlando Hernandez and Luis Vizcaino, and outfielder Chris Young.
In addition to Jones and Lofton, two other free agents finalized contracts: right-hander Rudy Seanez with Boston ($2.1 million) and left-hander Chris Hammond with Cincinnati ($800,000).
Last week, the Rangers dealt All-Star second baseman Alfonso Soriano to the Washington Nationals for outfielders Brad Wilkerson and Terrmel Sledge, and pitcher Armando Galarraga. On Tuesday, they agreed to send Sledge, pitcher Chris Young and first baseman Adrian Gonzalez to San Diego for Eaton and reliever Akinori Otsuka.
The deal was pending physicals, according to three baseball officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because the trade had not been finalized.
Eaton won 11 games in each of the last two seasons, but went on the disabled list twice this year because of a strained middle finger that limited him to 128 2/3 innings. He was 11-5 with a 4.27 ERA, but didn't pitch in the postseason for the NL West champion Padres.
"I'm healthy as can be," Eaton said. "The finger is a non-issue. With the way the season started and the way I was going, it was just rolling, like a snowball going down a hill. It was disappointing for what it could have been."
Rangers talk to Millwood
New Texas general manager Jon Daniels is seeking more pitching. Free-agent Kevin Millwood, who led the AL with a 2.86 ERA for Cleveland, met Tuesday with Rangers officials along with his agent, Scott Boras.
Soriano said he still doesn't want to move to the outfield from second base. Jose Vidro, a three-time All-Star, starts at second for Washington, and Nationals general manager Jim Bowden hopes to shift Soriano from second, where he's a four-time All-Star.
"I don't want to change," Soriano said Monday night at a dinner held for major league players by Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernandez. "If I haven't done it before, I won't do it now."
Also at the dinner, New York Mets ace Pedro Martinez said his right toe still hurts after nearly three months of rest.
"This worries me a little because generally by this time of the year I'm already throwing," he said.
Dotel gets 1-year deal
Across town, the Yankees gave a $2 million deal to Dotel, who had reconstructive elbow surgery June 6 to repair a torn ligament. He joins several newcomers in the bullpen -- right-hander Kyle Farnsworth and left-handers Ron Villone and Mike Myers -- and hopes to be pitching by midseason.
"I feel very happy with this contract," Dotel said. "This team has a lot of tradition, and it pleases me to know that they want me to pitch for them."
Meanwhile, hundreds of players faced the midnight deadline for teams to offer 2006 contracts to unsigned players on their 40-man rosters. Among those who agreed to contracts ahead of the deadline were Milwaukee third baseman Russell Branyan ($800,000), Dodgers first baseman Hee-Seop Choi ($725,000), Toronto infielder John McDonald ($500,000) and Houston backup catcher Raul Chavez ($400,000). Cincinnati was close to a $9.1 million, two-year deal with catcher Jason LaRue, also eligible for arbitration.
Milwaukee didn't offer a contract to former All-Star closer Dan Kolb, reacquired from Atlanta this month. Boston, which had the worst bullpen ERA in the AL, did not offer contracts to reliever Chad Bradford and starting pitcher Wade Miller. Keith Foulke, who lost his closer's job while hampered by knee problems, will regain that role, co-general manager Ben Cherington said.
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