Ex-Gold Glove winner Reese agrees to deal with Boston

BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox finally got a new middle infielder Tuesday -- Pokey Reese, not Alex Rodriguez.

The second baseman, who spent two days with Boston two years ago, agreed Tuesday to a $1 million, one-year contract.

Reese will be happy to play with shortstop Nomar Garciaparra. Rodriguez would be a good infield mate, too.

"Two future Hall of Famers, two All-Stars, two great people," Reese said. "I'm in a win-win situation."

The Rangers and Red Sox said they were abandoning the proposed Rodriguez-for-Manny Ramirez trade.

Reese, who became a free agent after two seasons with Pittsburgh, joined Boston for a $200,000 signing bonus and an $800,000 salary. He can earn another $600,000 in performance bonuses.

"He turned down a pretty significant amount of money to do this with the Red Sox because he wanted to be a part of this, part of the situation, part of the atmosphere," said Mike Nicotera, Reese's agent. "There were definitely quality clubs that were offering him what I would term as significantly more money."

Reese adds speed and defense and is thrilled to join the rivalry with the New York Yankees.

"To be able to be a part of that is awesome," the two-time Gold Glove winner said. "My goal was to one day play behind Pedro (Martinez), and I got that opportunity and I couldn't turn it down."

Reese replaces Todd Walker, who agreed Tuesday to a $1.75 million, one-year contract with the Chicago Cubs. Reese's defense should be an improvement -- general manager Theo Epstein said one of his team's weaknesses was the number of opponents' hits to the right side.

He figured that with a club that led baseball in hitting last season and strengthened its pitching staff with Curt Schilling and Keith Foulke, he could afford less offense at second base.

"He's a great fit with the club we have," Epstein said of Reese. "The 2004 Red Sox are dramatically improved in the area of run prevention. ... Hopefully, we'll win a lot more 4-2 games, 3-1 games than we won last year."

Reese, who stole 38 bases with Cincinnati in 1999, first joined the Red Sox on Dec. 19, 2001, in a trade with Colorado. They let him become a free agent two days later rather than offer a 2002 contract, which would have made him eligible for salary arbitration. They hoped he would sign a multiyear contract with them, but he signed instead with the Pirates on Jan. 30, 2002.

Reese had a torn thumb ligament last season and hit .215 in 37 games. He didn't play after May 13. In seven major league seasons, he's hitting .251 with 41 homers and 138 stolen bases.

He passed his physical Monday "with flying colors," Epstein said.

Last week, the Red Sox signed former Colorado second baseman Mark Bellhorn, but Reese is expected to be the regular.

"If he plays the way he's capable, he's going to be out there quite a bit," Epstein said.

That's fine with Reese.

"Two years ago I wish the deal would have went through," he said. "I just can't wait to really get to spring training, just to be part of the Boston mystique."

Boston also reached agreements with two right-handed pitchers it had let go Saturday.

Jason Shiell got a one-year contract that would pay him at a yearly rate of $303,000 in the major leagues and $72,000 in the minors. Edwin Almonte received a minor league contract and would get a deal for the $300,000 minimum if he's added to the 40-man roster.

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