ANAHEIM, Calif., Dec. 11 -- It says something about the skyrocketing contract figures being tossed around at baseball's winter meetings that the sight of the mayor of Las Vegas parading through the lobby of the Anaheim Marriott on Saturday afternoon, accompanied by two showgirls and an Elvis impersonator -- apparently believing this is the best way to lure the Florida Marlins to his city -- was not even the most eye-popping vision of the day.
That honor went to the four-year deal for about $39 million the New York Yankees were finalizing with free agent Carl Pavano, a pitcher with a 57-58 career record. And if that sounds high, consider that, according to two sources familiar with the negotiations, all four losing teams involved in the pursuit of Pavano -- Baltimore, Detroit, Seattle and Boston -- offered more money than did the Yankees.
Scott Shapiro, Pavano's agent, said his client was swayed by New York's proximity to Connecticut, where Pavano grew up and where his parents live, and his comfort level with Yankees Manager Joe Torre during a recent visit to New York.
"Carl told me point-blank," Shapiro said, "he would go to war for that guy."
Pavano's deal, which comes one day after Russ Ortiz got $33 million over four years from the debt-be-damned Arizona Diamondbacks, was another milestone in the astounding upward trend in contract figures this winter -- a trend that many executives trace to the three-year, $22.5 million deal the New York Mets gave Kris Benson.
"Some of the contracts [being signed] have blown me out of the water," said Atlanta Braves Manager Bobby Cox. "But I guess some teams had a lot of money to spend."
On another furious day of deals in a fast-paced market, word of Pavano's deal with the Yankees came with an ancillary news nugget: the Yankees had canceled their three-year, $21 million deal with right-hander Jaret Wright after Wright's surgically repaired shoulder reportedly failed to pass the Yankees' inspection. Wright is expected to take another physical for the Yankees, but the Yankees could go after lefty Eric Milton instead.
The Yankees' division rivals, the Boston Red Sox, have been throwing money around at an equally alarming rate, having already filled one rotation spot -- with lefty David Wells, who got a two-year deal worth a guaranteed $8 million late Friday night -- and closing in on a three-year deal with Pedro Martinez for around $40 million.
In addition, the Red Sox were believed to be close to signing free agent shortstop Edgar Renteria to a four-year deal -- after deciding they did not want to retain Orlando Cabrera.
The free-spirited Wells, 41, should fit in nicely with the Red Sox's clubhouse full of self-described "idiots" -- despite his assertion several years ago that he would love to be the one who got to "push the button" when it was time to blow up Fenway Park.
And in a surprise twist, the Red Sox were expected to meet Saturday night with David Sloane, the agent for first baseman Carlos Delgado. Never mind that the Red Sox already have Kevin Millar and Doug Mientkiewicz at first base.
One other prominent free agent came off the market Saturday, when veteran right-hander Roger Clemens accepted the Houston Astros' offer of salary arbitration, and his agent declared Clemens will either pitch for the Astros in 2005 or retire. According to agent Randy Hendricks, Clemens will decide by mid-January.
The other major deal Saturday was a trade, with the Milwaukee Brewers sending all-star closer Dan Kolb to the Braves for hard-throwing pitching prospect Jose Capellan. The Braves filled their rotation spot with this trade: They plan to move closer John Smoltz back into the rotation, and use Kolb as their closer.
And if the numbers flowing around the Anaheim Marriott seemed excessive, consider this: Scott Boras, the agent whose stable of clients includes most of the big-name position players on the market, said he is down to two or three teams with both Carlos Beltran (among them the Yankees and Astros) and Adrian Beltre (Los Angeles Dodgers, Seattle Mariners).
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