Pavano Chooses a Yankee Future

Carl Pavano decided Saturday he wanted to pitch for the Yankees, and his agent and New York closed in on a four-year contract worth about $39 million.

Pavano called his agent, Scott Shapiro, on Saturday morning and informed him of his decision.

“Number one, he wants to win,” Shapiro said.

The Angels, Baltimore, Boston, Detroit and Seattle also sought the right-hander, 18-8 with a 3.00 earned-run average for Florida last season.

Shapiro said his next step was to meet with Yankee General Manager Brian Cashman to finalize an agreement. Pavano and Shapiro met with the Yankees in New York last weekend, and Shapiro was confident a contract would be agreed to.

“We have to really hunker down and have some serious negotiations to hammer out the deal,” Shapiro said.

The Yankees expect the agreement will be worth about $39 million, a baseball official said on condition of anonymity, and the contract could contain an option for a fifth season.

“I’m hopeful because of his confidence,” Cashman said.

New York also has a preliminary agreement with right-hander Jaret Wright on a $21-million, three-year contract, but there may be a hitch in the deal. New York is still evaluating his physical exam, the baseball official said, and hasn’t determined whether he passed it or failed it.

Cashman refused to discuss the matter and Wright’s agent, Adam Katz, declined comment.

*

Atlanta acquired All-Star closer Dan Kolb from the Milwaukee Brewers for prized pitching prospect Jose Capellan and a player to be named, allowing the Braves to move John Smoltz back into the starting rotation.

“We felt this was the strongest way for us to rebuild our pitching staff,” Atlanta General Manager John Schuerholz said.

Smoltz set an NL record in 2002 with 55 saves, joining Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley as the only pitchers with seasons of 55 saves and 20 wins.

Kolb set a franchise record with 39 saves for the Brewers last season, going 0-4 with a 2.98 ERA. He also made the NL All-Star team.

The 23-year-old Capellan is said to have one of the best young arms in all of baseball. He went 14-4 with a 2.32 ERA at three levels of Atlanta’s minor league system last season.

*

The Boston Red Sox have reached agreement with 41-year-old David Wells, bringing the boisterous left-hander to their already wild clubhouse to help defend their World Series title.

Wells agreed Saturday to an $8-million, two-year contract with Boston that could be worth up to $18 million over two years, a Red Sox official said on condition of anonymity. The deal is pending a physical.

Wells gets a $3-million signing bonus and a salary of $2.5 million a year. In addition, he would earn $200,000 per start from 11-20 and $300,000 per start from 21-30.

Wells had said that he wanted to return to his hometown Padres, but with a guaranteed contract instead of one loaded with incentives like the deal he signed as a free agent last winter. He earned $1.25 million in base pay and another $4.75 million in incentives by making 31 starts; he could have made $1 million more if he hadn’t missed three weeks after a fluke household injury.

Wells was 12-8 with a 3.73 ERA last season.

*

Reliever Arthur Rhodes was traded for the second time in two weeks, sent from the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Cleveland Indians for outfielder Matt Lawton.

Rhodes, a 35-year-old left-hander, was acquired by Pittsburgh from Oakland on Nov. 27 in the trade that sent catcher Jason Kendall to the Athletics. Rhodes lost his closer’s job last season while going 3-3 with a 5.12 ERA for the A’s. He will become Bob Wickman’s setup man in Cleveland.

Lawton, who made $7.25 million in 2004 and will make the same amount next season, batted .270 with 20 homers and 70 RBIs in 150 games last season. He also had 23 steals but was caught nine times.

*

Roger Clemens accepted the Astros’ offer of salary arbitration, meaning he will either pitch for Houston next season or retire.

Clemens said last week that he was leaning toward retirement. His agent, Randy Hendricks, said the seven-time Cy Young Award winner probably will make his decision between Jan. 5 and 20.

If Clemens decides to pitch in 2005, he and the Astros either will agree to a contract or his salary will be determined by an arbitrator.

By accepting the arbitration offer, the 42-year-old right-hander is no longer a free agent and is considered a signed player on the Astros’ roster under baseball rules. He had a $5 million base salary and earned a total of $6,825,000 last season, including bonuses.

Clemens went 18-4 with a 2.98 ERA and 218 strikeouts, and his salary likely would be at least double next year if he plays.

*

San Francisco Giant slugger Barry Bonds, alleged to have used steroids late in his career, won’t be eligible for the Hall of Fame until five years after he retires. But if a survey of 150 of the approximately 500 Baseball Writers’ Assn. of America members eligible to vote on the Hall is any indication, his enshrinement might not be a sure thing.

A Tribune Publishing newspapers’ survey found that only 65.3% of voters contacted would vote Bonds into the Hall; 18% were opposed and 16.7% were undecided. It takes 75% of ballots cast to get to Cooperstown. Also, 68% of the writers said that Bonds’ batting and slugging totals should not include asterisks in the record books.

Sports reporters from nine Tribune papers, including The Times, participated in conducting the survey.