Redman Traded to A’s in Marlins’ Latest Deal

The Florida Marlins traded pitcher Mark Redman to Oakland for reliever Mike Neu on Tuesday night in yet another off-season move by the World Series champions.

Redman was 14-9 with a 3.59 earned-run average last season for the Marlins, then was 0-1 with a 6.50 ERA in four postseason starts. He was one of seven arbitration-eligible players who the Marlins had to offer a contract before Saturday.

The Marlins will also receive another player or cash to complete the deal, a team spokesman said.

Marlin General Manager Larry Beinfest said the two primary factors in the decision to trade Redman were payroll concerns and the planned return of right-hander A.J. Burnett to the Marlins’ rotation in 2004.

Neu had one save and a 3.64 ERA in 32 relief appearances last season for Oakland. He played college baseball for the University of Miami, earning three saves while helping the Hurricanes to the 1999 College World Series title.

The Athletics traded starter Ted Lilly to Toronto earlier in the off-season, and General Manager Billy Beane said he hopes Redman can fill the fourth spot in Oakland’s rotation behind Tim Hudson, Barry Zito and Mark Mulder.

Oakland will have until Saturday to sign Redman, who is arbitration-eligible. Beane said he was “hopeful” that a deal would get done.

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Indian shortstop Omar Vizquel failed a physical in Seattle on Tuesday, putting in jeopardy a trade that would have sent him to the Mariners for Carlos Guillen.

The teams had agreed on a deal to swap the shortstops contingent on Vizquel passing medical tests. The 36-year-old had two surgeries on his right knee last season.

However, after undergoing a physical and being put through agility drills by the Mariners, Vizquel was informed that he did not pass.

Vizquel played five seasons for Seattle before being traded to Cleveland in 1993.

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The Yankees made plans to introduce Gary Sheffield at a Yankee Stadium news conference today, another step in an off-season overhaul that could wind up shifting Bernie Williams to designated hitter.

Sheffield’s $39-million, three-year contract, which includes $13.5 million in deferred money, was being finalized for lawyers for the team and the outfielder Tuesday. New York also has a two-year deal with Kenny Lofton that hasn’t been completed.

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Reggie Sanders joined his seventh team in seven seasons, agreeing to a $6-million, two-year contract with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Sanders, 36, fills a void in the outfield created by last weekend’s trade that sent J.D. Drew and Eli Marrero to Atlanta. He hit .285 last season for the Pirates with a team-leading 31 homers and 87 RBIs.

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The Red Sox hope Mark Bellhorn will solve part of their problem at second base.

Bellhorn was acquired from Colorado for a player to be named as the Red Sox tried to fill the hole created when Todd Walker became a free agent.

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The Athletics traded catcher Michael Barrett to the Chicago Cubs, a day after acquiring him from Montreal. The A’s will receive a player to be named from Chicago.... In addition, Oakland agreed to a $3.65-million, two-year contract with reliever Ricardo Rincon. The 33-year-old left-hander was 8-4 with a 3.25 ERA in 64 relief appearances last season.