Everett Gets a New Deal

The Boston Red Sox on Tuesday agreed to a three-year contract with Carl Everett, avoiding arbitration with the outfielder acquired in a trade from Houston.

“It’s always nice to know that you’re wanted,” Everett said on a conference call, while admitting that he was far from overjoyed. “There’s no excitement, or anything like that. Pretty much I’m happy that it’s over with.”

The Red Sox gave up shortstop prospect Adam Everett and left-handed pitcher Greg Miller in December to get Carl Everett, who made $2.5 million last year and would have been eligible for free agency after the season,

Everett, who hit .325 with 25 home runs and 108 runs batted in for Houston last season, could fill a power-hitting void the Red Sox have had since Mo Vaughn left for free agency before last season. Last year’s outfield of Troy O’Leary, Darren Lewis and Trot Nixon hit 45 home runs--28 by O’Leary.

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Calling John Rocker “an idiot,” Toronto pitcher David Wells said the Atlanta reliever will need bodyguards to protect him from fans.

“People will throw stuff at him,” Wells said at the Blue Jays’ spring training camp at Dunedin, Fla. “If I was a bodyguard, I wouldn’t even want to be around him. He isn’t the president. Nobody will take a bullet for him, no matter how much money he pays them.”

On other subjects, Wells disagreed with Toronto’s decision to trade Shawn Green to the Dodgers for outfielder Raul Mondesi and reliever Pedro Borbon.

“We never should have gotten rid of Shawn Green,” Wells said. “It’s good that he went where he wanted to but what we got wasn’t even up.”

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The Detroit Tigers escaped punishment for not considering minority candidates when they hired a manager, with Commissioner Bud Selig saying he was “delighted” with new efforts the team pledged to undertake.

Detroit said Tuesday it created a five-member community advisory board to work on minority employment and contracting issues, as well as on public relations.

Selig said the move satisfies his concerns about Detroit’s hiring practices.

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Angel pitcher Jason Dickson, who missed all of last season after right shoulder surgery, lost his salary arbitration case Tuesday and will get $375,000, the same salary he had last season. . . . Mike Hampton, acquired in an off-season trade to solidify the New York Mets’ pitching staff, said he had cut off talks on a contract extension until after the season. . . . Minnesota Twin pitcher Brad Radke rejected the team’s offer of a $21-million, three-year contract extension, wanting a $24-million deal instead. . . . Right-hander Osvaldo Fernandez, who has not pitched in the majors since 1997, agreed to a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds.