Backups in LaMar's sights

ST. PETERSBURG - Holiday shopping has a different twist for Devil Rays general manager Chuck LaMar, who said Sunday night he hopes to sign a couple reserves and/or relievers over the next 10 days.

LaMar is checking the list of players who were not tendered contracts by Sunday's deadline and said there were several intriguing possibilities. And the addition of 58 players on the market could make other free agents more receptive to signing.

"We've already had conversations with several players (Sunday) and I expect those to continue over the next week to 10 days," LaMar said.

The Rays are looking for a veteran backup catcher, bullpen help and a left-handed hitting extra man.

Catcher Rod Barajas, nontendered by Arizona, could be a possibility with free agents Brook Fordyce, Keith Osik, Bill Haselman and Tom Prince.

While pitchers with closing experience such as Danys Baez (by Cleveland) and Braden Looper (Florida) were nontendered, the Rays are likely to look for less expensive help.

They have had conversations with Ron Villone, and other left-handers on the market include Scott Sauerbeck, Mike Myers, Mark Guthrie, Armando Almanza, Trever Miller, Valerio De Los Santos, Pedro Feliciano and Mike Matthews.

To clear roster space, the Rays dropped three players onto the market: starting second baseman Marlon Anderson and prospects Jared Sandberg and Gerardo Garcia.

Anderson was fourth on the team with a career-high 67 RBIs, but became expendable with the acquisition of infielders Rey Sanchez and Geoff Blum.

"Marlon Anderson did an outstanding job for us last year and hopefully he can continue his major-league career, but with the addition of Blum and Sanchez it would be tough to get Marlon at-bats," LaMar said.

Sandberg has power (24 home runs in 157 games over the past two years), but struck out too much (191 times) and probably would have been put on waivers during spring training since he was out of options. "Jared showed signs of outstanding power, but with his inconsistency and strikeouts, and with us hopefully getting better, we didn't see him getting at-bats," LaMar said.

Garcia is a touted prospect from Mexico who has not pitched in the big leagues and has been slowed by injuries. "We've been waiting two years for him to be healthy and pitch, and he has not," LaMar said.

The moves extend what has been an extensive renovation. Since the end of the season, the Rays have parted ways with major-league pitchers Brandon Backe, Joe Kennedy, Mark Malaska, Carlos Reyes and minor-leaguers Evan Rust, Talley Haines and Garcia; infielders John-Paul Davis, Travis Lee, Rey Ordonez, Terry Shumpert, Jason Smith, Anderson and Sandberg; and outfielders Ben Grieve, Al Martin, Adam Piatt and Jason Tyner (who was nontendered by Texas).

Two area products were among the players nontendered: Tarpon Springs High's Kris Wilson (by Kansas City) and Land O'Lakes' Derek Thompson (Dodgers).

ARLINGTON, Texas - Rangers owner Tom Hicks set a Tuesday deadline of 5 p.m. for a trade of Alex Rodriguez to Boston, saying the MVP shortstop will remain with the Rangers if a deal isn't completed by then. Hicks wrote in an e-mail to the Associated Press the deadline "is a reasonable time frame for the various groups to make their decisions."

Red Sox president Larry Lucchino, who with owner John Henry last week declared the deal "dead," declined comment. Scott Boras, Rodriguez's agent, said Hicks informed him of the deadline for the trade, which would send outfielder Manny Ramirez to Texas. Rodriguez's $252-million, 10-year contract has seven years and $179-million remaining. During negotiations last week, the players' association said the agreement could be restructured but not reduced.

A'S: Oakland filled two major holes when it acquired veteran catcher Damian Miller and cash from the Cubs and signed pitcher Mark Redman to a three-year contract worth about $12-million. The two-time defending AL West champion also agreed to a one-year contract with outfielder Billy McMillon.

The A's will receive $800,000 from the Cubs. Redman will be the A's No. 4 starter behind the "Big Three" of Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder and Barry Zito. Redman, whose deal includes a player and club option for 2006, went 14-9 with a 3.59 ERA in 29 starts for the Marlins.

Miller, due to make $3-million next season, is respected for his work with young pitchers and for strong defense. Pitchers had a 3.88 ERA in the 114 games he caught last season, and he had a .997 fielding percentage.

CUBS: Michael Barrett, who was on three teams in six days, signed a one-year deal worth $1.55-million. The Expos traded him to Oakland on Monday, and the A's shipped him to Chicago on Tuesday. Barrett, 27, played only 70 games last season because of injuries.

Barrett is a solid defensive catcher who has shown some power. He is one of six NL catchers with at least 10 homers in each of the past two seasons. He only hit .208 last season, but spent most of the year on the disabled list with a strained hip and a broken left finger. He made one error in 68 games behind the plate, had a .998 fielding percentage and threw out 10 of 26 baserunners.

ORIOLES: Free-agent catcher Javy Lopez and Baltimore were close to agreement on a three-year deal worth about $23-million. The team hopes to finalize the deal today. Lopez, 33, hit .328 last season for Atlanta with 43 homers and 109 RBIs, both career highs.

PHILLIES: Ricky Ledee and Philadelphia avoided salary arbitration, agreeing to a one-year, $1.225-million 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 NL with two pinch-hit home runs.

- Information from Times wires was used in this report.