Sports: Rays strike deals with Yan, Guillen

Rays strike deals with Yan, Guillen

By MARC TOPKIN

ST. PETERSBURG -- The Devil Rays reached one-year deals Sunday with pitcher Esteban Yan and outfielder Jose Guillen but may be headed to arbitration hearings with pitchers Albie Lopez and Bryan Rekar.

The deals with Yan and Guillen were midway between the players' requests and the team filings.

Yan will make $650,000 with the chance to earn an undisclosed amount of incentives if he is the closer. Yan, who made $265,000 last season, filed for $750,000; the Rays offered $550,000.

Guillen, the likely fourth outfielder, agreed to a $975,000 contract. He sought $1.15-million; the Rays offered $800,000. He made $375,000 last season.

"We've had discussions for several weeks, but with the arbitration hearings looming talks intensified this weekend," Rays general manager Chuck LaMar said Sunday. "We're glad to get both done and the players can concentrate on the upcoming season."

LaMar said negotiations will continue with Lopez, whose hearing is scheduled for Thursday, and Rekar (Feb. 20). The Rays have not had any arbitration hearings in their four-season history.

"It wouldn't surprise me if we go to arbitration with one or both of those," LaMar said. "But our goal is to try and make a deal."

Lopez, who made $920,000 last season when he emerged as one of the team's top starters, is seeking $3.45-million. The Rays offered $2.5-million.

Rekar made $280,000 while going 7-10 with a 4.41 ERA in an inconsistent season. He is seeking a 525 percent raise to $1.75-million; the Rays offered $1.2-million.

REVELATION A RELIEF: "Hiya, Hoot," Ralph Branca said, offering a big smile and his right hand.

"Hey, good to see you," Bobby Thomson brightened. "Come over here, will you?"

With that, the old friends drifted back a half-century Sunday, linked by perhaps the most memorable home run in history. For five private minutes, they talked about the secret they'd kept, yet never shared.

"It was like getting something off my chest after all those years," Thomson said. "I'm not a criminal, although I may have felt like one at first."

"It's been a cleansing for both of us," Branca said. "He knew that I knew. It's better this way."

Last week, it was revealed that Thomson and the New York Giants rigged an elaborate spyglass-and-buzzer system to steal catcher's signals and chase Branca and the Brooklyn Dodgers in the famous 1951 NL pennant race.

Thomson said no one stole the sign when he hit the home run.

Branca and Thomson attended the 50th anniversary celebration of the "Miracle of Coogan's Bluff" at the New Jersey Sports Writers Association's banquet in Edison.

- Information from Times wires was used in this report.