Matsuzaka talks near deadline; Jennings deal to Astros; Gagne agrees with Rangers

NEW YORK (AP) As Boston officials tried to work out a contract with Daisuke Matsuzaka before Thursday's deadline, the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers found pitching help of their own.<br/><br/>Five

Tuesday, December 12th 2006, 8:05 pm

By: News On 6

NEW YORK (AP) As Boston officials tried to work out a contract with Daisuke Matsuzaka before Thursday's deadline, the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers found pitching help of their own.

Five days after a potential trade with the White Sox came apart, Houston acquired Jason Jennings and pitcher Miguel Asencio from the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday for outfielder Willy Taveras and pitchers Taylor Buchholz and Jason Hirsh -- who all would have been sent to Chicago for Jon Garland.

Astros general manager Tim Purpura needed to replace Andy Pettitte, who left his hometown team Friday after three seasons to go back to the New York Yankees.

"This gives us a solid No. 2 starter and some depth in the bullpen," Purpura said. "It's an exciting day for us."

Eric Gagne and the Texas Rangers reached a preliminary agreement on a one-year contract worth about $6 million.

The agreement was confirmed by a person familiar with the negotiations who spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement had been made. The deal would allow Gagne to earn about $5 million more in performance bonuses.

"He's a guy who wants to win as well, so I think with him deciding to come here knowing what they're trying to do here, I think he also wants to be part of a winner," said Gagne's former Los Angeles Dodgers teammate, Kenny Lofton, who finalized his own $6 million deal with the Rangers.

Gagne, like Matsuzaka, is represented by agent Scott Boras. As the midnight Thursday EST deadline for Matsuzaka to sign approached, Red Sox president Larry Lucchino and general manager Theo Epstein traveled to California and planned a day of talks Tuesday with Boras at the agent's offices in Newport Beach, Calif. Lucchino and Epstein left the building where the offices are located shortly before 7 p.m. EST and it was unclear when or if they would return.

"We're on Scott Boras' doorstep because he hasn't negotiated with us thus far and we're taking the fight directly to him, the fight to have a negotiation here," Red Sox controlling owner John Henry said late Monday night.

Epstein wants Matsuzaka aboard Henry's plane when it returns to Boston on Wednesday as part of the Red Sox. Epstein said that would provide the time needed for Matsuzaka to have a physical the team says is necessary before a deal could be finalized.

Boston bid $51.11 million for the right to negotiate with Matsuzaka, and the money only goes to his Japanese club, the Seibu Lions, if he reaches an agreement. If he doesn't, Boston keeps the money and Matsuzaka can't be offered to major league teams again until next November. He is not eligible for free agency until after the 2008 season.

In addition to Lofton, reliever David Weathers got a $5 million, two-year deal from Cincinnati, and pitcher Dave Williams got a $1.25 million, one-year contract from the New York Mets. Canadian outfielder Matt Stairs agreed to a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays and would get $850,000 if added to the major league roster, of which $400,000 would be a signing bonus and $450,000 salary.

Infielder Jeff Cirillo and the Minnesota Twins reached preliminary agreement on a $1.5 million, one-year contract, while outfielder Jose Cruz Jr. got a $650,000, one-year contract from the San Diego Padres.

Teams also faced a midnight EST deadline Tuesday to offer 2007 contracts to unsigned players on their 40-man rosters.

Atlanta cut ties to Marcus Giles, deciding it could no longer afford the second baseman under an ever-tightening budget. Giles made $3.85 million in 2006 and likely would have commanded over $5 million for next season in arbitration. He could join his older brother, outfielder Brian Giles, on their hometown Padres.

"It's not an easy decision when you're talking about somebody's who's been a key guy for our team over the years and grew up in our organization," Braves general manager John Schuerholz said of the 2003 All-Star. "But it's a fact of the matter with the economics of this business. As salaries continue to rise, we've got to use our assets the best way we can to put our most balanced team together."

Injured pitcher Victor Zambrano was cut by the Mets, who planned to continue negotiations with him. A right-hander acquired from Tampa Bay on July 30, 2004, for Scott Kazmir, Zambrano was 1-2 with a 6.75 ERA in five starts this year. He was hurt May 6, when he took himself out of a game against the Atlanta Braves after striking out Andruw Jones, and was diagnosed with a torn flexor muscle.

During surgery on Zambrano on May 15, Mets team physician Dr. David Altchek repaired the right-hander's elbow tendon, removed bone spurs and replaced the ligament.

Among players eligible for arbitration, Colorado catcher Yorvit Torrealba agreed to a $1,075,000, one-year contract and St. Louis second baseman Aaron Miles agreed to a $1 million, one-year deal.