Graves, Mets Reach Deal

Released Cincinnati closer Danny Graves worked out for the New York Mets on Tuesday and agreed to terms on a one-year contract, Newsday reported.

Graves will earn the prorated minimum ($300,000) for 2005 from the Mets plus the remainder of his one-year, $6.25-million contract from Cincinnati, the newspaper said. The deal would include a team option for 2006.

Graves, 31, had 10 saves this season and 182 in 10 major league seasons but was designated for assignment by the Reds on May 23, a day after making an obscene gesture to fans. He then was released when Cincinnati was unable to arrange a trade.

“Here’s a guy who saved 41 last year and saved 10 this year,” General Manager Omar Minaya said. “Sometimes, you have to have a gut feeling. With a minimal investment, there’s a potential upside.”

If Graves does sign with New York, Manager Willie Randolph said he would not work in his traditional role of closer.

“Braden Looper’s my closer,” the manager said. “If we sign Graves, he would be a setup man like everybody else. He’d be a complement to our bullpen.”

Said Looper: “It’s a situation where he would bolster the bullpen. The way I look at it, it’s a matter of making the bullpen stronger.”

*

Houston Astro first baseman Jeff Bagwell underwent successful surgery on his arthritic right shoulder where several small bone chips were removed, General Manager Tim Purpura said in a statement.

It is expected to take Bagwell about three months to recover from the surgery to improve the range of motion in his shoulder. He is on the 15-day disabled list because of a right shoulder sprain.

Bagwell, 37, has been bothered by pain in his right shoulder for four years and had surgery in October 2001. He sat out only 12 games over the last three seasons despite the discomfort.

*

The Florida Marlins optioned right-hander Nate Bump to triple-A Albuquerque and designated left-hander Matt Perisho for assignment.

The Marlins also called up two left-handers, Valerio De Los Santos from Class-A Jupiter and Chad Bentz from Albuquerque.