Dye Agrees To Extend His Stay

OF Jermaine Dye yesterday agreed to a two-year, $22 million contract extension to stay with the White Sox through the 2009 season.

There is also a mutual option for 2010.

Dye, the MVP of the 2005 World Series, could have been a free agent at the end of this season.

Dye will receive $9.5 million in 2008 and $11.5 million in 2009. The mutual option would pay Dye $12 million for the 2010 season or give him a $1 million buyout.

Dye, 33, entered yesterday with a team-high 24 home runs and has batted .245 with 62 RBI in 104 games for the White Sox, who have had a disappointing season and have all but fallen out of contention in the AL Central.

Chicago was 13 games under .500 entering its game against the Mariners and had lost six straight.

During a 12-year career that has included stops with Atlanta, Kansas City and Oakland, Dye has batted .274 with 260 home runs and 879 RBI in 1,434 games.

Last season, Dye batted .315 with a career-high 44 homers and 120 RBI.

· BUSTED: A Devil Rays minor leaguer was suspended 50 games for violating baseball's minor league drug rules.

James Houser of Tampa Bay's Class AA Montgomery Biscuits was suspended after he tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance.

The left-hander is 5-4 with a 3.65 ERA in 20 starts this season for Montgomery.

"The Tampa Bay Devil Rays fully support baseball's drug testing program, including the measures taken against James Houser," Devil Rays director of minor league operations Mitch Lukevics said in a statement.

The Devil Rays also had a big league pitcher, Juan Salas, suspended earlier this season under the major league testing program.

· STILL SNIFFY: Detroit all-star 2B Placido Polanco missed his fifth consecutive game because of the flu that has hit several Tigers players recently. He took batting practice before yesterday's game against the Yankees and was expected to play today.

-- From News Services