Padres, closer Heath Bell agree to $7.5-million deal

San Diego Padres closer Heath Bell has agreed to a $7.5-million, one-year contract and four other San Diego players also received deals Tuesday that avoided arbitration.

Outfielder Ryan Ludwick will earn $6,775,000, right-handed reliever Mike Adams received a deal for $2,535,000, third baseman Chase Headley gets $2,325,000 and pitcher Tim Stauffer gets $1,075,000.

The 33-year-old Bell went 6-1 with a 1.93 ERA and a career-best 47 saves last season, earning his second straight All-Star selection.

Prince Fielder and the Milwaukee Brewers started off what’s likely to be their final year together with a record.

Fielder and the club avoided salary arbitration by agreeing to a $15.5-million, one-year contract. The deal is the highest-single season contract for an arbitration-eligible player, surpassing Mark Teixeira’s $12.5-million agreement with Atlanta in 2008.

The club’s prospects to keep Fielder in Milwaukee past the upcoming season are slim. Fielder is represented by agent Scott Boras and can become a free agent after the World Series.

The Detroit Tigers appear ready to part ways with Armando Galarraga, the right-hander who missed a perfect game last season when an umpire’s wrong call cost him what would have been the final out.

In an odd procedural move, the Tigers designated Galarraga for assignment Tuesday, almost immediately after agreeing to a $2.3-million, one-year contract with him. Detroit also finalized its one-year deal with Brad Penny, bumping Galarraga from the starting rotation.

Tigers General Manager Dave Dombrowski said the Tigers will now try to trade Galarraga.

Detroit has 10 days to make a move with Galarraga. If he isn’t traded, he could be sent to the minors.

Galarraga went 4-9 with a 4.49 ERA last year. By agreeing to a deal with the 29-year-old pitcher, the Tigers avoided salary arbitration.

The New York Yankees have agreed to one-year contracts with right-handers Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain and left-hander Boone Logan to avoid arbitration.

Two people familiar with the deals say the Boston Red Sox have agreed to one-year contracts with closer Jonathan Papelbon and center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury.

The base salaries are $12 million for Papelbon and $2.4 million for Ellsbury, according to the two people who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deals had not been announced.

San Francisco outfielder star Cody Ross, a postseason star for the Giants, agreed to terms on a $6.3-million, one-year contract.

Ross earned $4.45 million last season, when he joined the Giants on a waiver claim from Florida on Aug. 22.

The Baltimore Orioles have agreed to terms on one-year contracts for shortstop J.J. Hardy, outfielders Adam Jones and Felix Pie, and right-handed reliever Jim Johnson.

AL MVP Josh Hamilton has asked the Texas Rangers for $12 million in salary arbitration and major league home run champion Jose Bautista submitted a $10.5-million figure to Toronto Blue Jays.

The Rangers offered Hamilton $8.7 million Tuesday and the Blue Jays proposed $7.6 million to Bautista when teams and players swapped figures.

Left-hander C.J. Wilson and outfielder Nelson Cruz agreed to one-year contracts with the Texas Rangers, getting significant raises while avoiding salary arbitration.

Right-hander Matt Garza, who could be the Chicago Cubs’ opening-day pitcher after being acquired in a trade from Tampa Bay last week, agreed to a $5.95-million, one-year contract.

Garza made $3.35 million last season, when he was 15-10 for the Rays.

The Cubs also agreed to a two-year deal with left-handed reliever Sean Marshall and a one-year deal for left-hander Tom Gorzelanny, who will be traded to the Washington Nationals. Both were arbitration eligible.

Gil Meche, whose $55-million, five-year contract as a free agent in 2007 signaled a sharp change in fiscal policy for the Kansas City Royals, announced he is retiring.

In a statement released through the Royals, the right-hander, who was plagued by shoulder problems last year, said he preferred retirement to spending the final year of his contract in the bullpen.

The Royals and right-hander Kyle Davies agreed to a $2.3-million, one-year contract. … Right-hand pitcher Mike Pelfrey and the New York Mets agreed to a one-year contract worth $3,925,000. … Right-handed pitcher Andy Sonnanstine and the Tampa Bay Rays have agreed to a one-year contract worth $912,500. … Right-handed reliever Joel Hanrahan agreed to a $1.4-million, one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates. … The Philadelphia Phillies and right-handed pitcher Kyle Kendrick agreed to a $2.45-million, one-year contract. … The Oakland Athletics agreed to one-year contracts with outfielders Josh Willingham and Conor Jackson, starting pitcher Dallas Braden and third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff. … Right-hand pitchers Anibal Sanchez and Clay Hensley have avoided arbitration by agreeing to one-year contracts with the Florida Marlins. … The Seattle Mariners reached one-year deals with three pitchers: closer David Aardsma, reliever Brandon League and left-hander Jason Vargas. … The Cleveland Indians agreed to a one-year, $3.975-million contract with outfielder Shin-Soo Choo. …The Chicago White Sox agreed to one-year contracts with left-handed pitcher John Danks, outfielder Carlos Quentin and right-hander Tony Pena. … Outfielder Rajai Davis and the Toronto Blue Jays agreed to a $5.75-million, two-year contract, while shortstop Yunel Escobar settled on a $2.9-million, one-year deal and outfielder Brandon Morrow agreed at $2.3 million. … Center fielder Michael Bourn agreed to a $4.4-million, one-year contract with the Houston Astros, who also reached deals with infielders Clint Barmes at $3,925,000 and Jeff Keppinger at $2.3 million. … Closer Chris Perez and the Cleveland Indians agreed to a one-year contract worth $2,225,000, and setup man Rafael Perez agreed to a one-year deal at $1.33 million.

Holdup in Anthony trade is not Anthony, source says

A person with knowledge of the proposed Carmelo Anthony trade says the holdup is over the framework of the deal, not the All-Star forward’s willingness to commit to New Jersey.

Though they appeared close to a deal 11 days ago, the teams are still negotiating what the Nets would send to Denver, the person told the Associated Press on Tuesday.

New Jersey has offered to ship six players and at least two first-round draft picks to Denver in the deal that would send Anthony to the Nets along with former Pistons teammates Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton.

But the teams haven’t been able to agree on the exact price that will persuade the Nuggets to finally part with their franchise player

The person added that the Nets are not concerned about Anthony’s commitment to the franchise for the long term should the trade be completed, saying they are convinced the 26-year-old will sign a $65 million, three-year contract extension if New Jersey, Denver and Detroit can agree on the others parts of the deal.

The teams continued their negotiations on Tuesday, but little was happening, the person said.

John Morton leaving USC to join 49ers staff

John Morton, USC’s receivers coach for the last four seasons, is leaving the Trojans to join the San Francisco 49ers coaching staff.

Morton, who coached previously in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders and New Orleans Saints, will be reunited with new 49ers Coach Jim Harbaugh. Morton and Harbaugh were Raiders assistants in 2002 and 2003, and Morton worked under Harbaugh at the University of San Diego in 2005.

“This is a great opportunity for John to further his career,” USC Coach Lane Kiffin said in a statement. “We appreciate the great work he did at USC and wish him the best of luck.”

Morton came to USC in 2006 as passing game coordinator and receivers coach. Former coach Pete Carroll named him the offensive coordinator before the 2009 season, but later hired Jeremy Bates as the quarterbacks coach and play-caller.

Bates joined Carroll as offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks before the 2010 season, but Carroll fired him Tuesday, two days after the Seahawks were eliminated from the NFL playoffs.

— Gary Klein

ETC.: Staal, Lidstrom named NHL All-Star captains

The NHL’s All-Star teams will be selected by Eric Staal and Nicklas Lidstrom. They have been appointed captains for the Jan. 30 game in Raleigh, N.C., and will lead teams carrying their names. Staal plays for the hometown Carolina Hurricanes. Lidstrom is the captain of the Detroit Red Wings and will be playing in his 12th All-Star game.

The All-Stars were determined in a fan vote, and the players selected voted on the captains. The game features a revamped format this year.

Staal and Lidstrom will select their teams in a live draft two days before the game. Sidney Crosby was considered a favorite to be selected as captain, but the Pittsburgh Penguins star remains sidelined with a concussion and probably will miss the game.

The San Jose Sharks acquired forward Ben Eager from the Atlanta Thrashers in exchange for a fifth-round selection in the 2011 NHL entry draft.

Australian rider Alex Pullin held off a strong American field to win the snowboard cross world championship at La Molina, Spain. American Lindsey Jacobellis cruised to a third title in the women’s event.

Pullin held off Olympic champion Seth Wescott and Nate Holland to score the best result of his career. Jacobellis never trailed on the slippery course at La Molina to finish ahead of Nelly Moenne of France and Dominique Maltais of Canada.

AEG President Tim Leiweke, who has led the effort to get an NFL stadium built downtown, was named the sports executive of the year by the Los Angeles Sports Council. He will be honored at the L.A. Sports Awards on Feb. 24 at the Beverly Hilton.

Jose Maria Olazabal will captain Europe’s Ryder Cup team when it defends the trophy against the United States at Medinah in 2012.