Twins reach agreement with OF Jones under the wire

In a move that should quell speculation that he's on the trade market, the Minnesota Twins came to terms with outfielder Jacque Jones on a one-year deal for $5 million.

The Twins also agreed to one-year deals with second baseman Luis Rivas ($1,625,000) designated hitter Matthew LeCroy ($750,000), who were both eligible for salary arbitration, outfielder Michael Ryan (next year's minimum plus $5,000) and right-hander Matt Guerrier (minimum plus $2,500). Next year's minimum salary will be about $316,000.

Rivas and LeCroy were both eligible for salary arbitration, Ryan and Guerrier were not.

Minnesota offered contracts to its four other arbitration-eligible players: left-handers Johan Santana and J.C. Romero and right-handers Kyle Lohse and Carlos Silva.

The signing of Jones is notable on a day on which clubs had to tender contracts or cut ties with players because the outfielder has been subject of so many trade rumors. Several clubs, including Atlanta and San Diego, have inquired on Jones over the past few months. And players in the process of becoming expensive in Minnesota are usually in the crosshairs.

General manager Terry Ryan might have faced an either/or decision with Jones and third baseman Corey Koskie had the Twins not lost Koskie to Toronto last week. The third baseman signed a three-year, $17 million deal after spurning the Twins' two-year, $8.25 million offer because they would not include a no-trade clause.

In any case, the Twins had been insisting they wanted to keep Jones.

"I've tried to say that for the last number of months, years even," Ryan said. "I understand people have said we have all kinds of outfield depth. But Jacque gives us offense, he hits for power and he plays a good right field. He's unselfish, he's durable, he's a good teammate. He's a lot of things that we're about here."

Jones slugged 24 home runs and collected 80 RBI for the Twins in 2004. He batted .254 with a .315 on-base percentage. His return would give the Twins a veteran outfield of Jones, center fielder Torii Hunter and left fielder Shannon Stewart.

The club still has decisions to make on the left side of its infield, where prospect Jason Bartlett is expected to be given a chance to win the shortstop job this spring following Cristian Guzman's defection to Washington. At third, the Twins could either sign a free agent or move versatile Michael Cuddyer into the position. Cuddyer, drafted as a shortstop, has played the outfield and second base for the Twins.

"We've got a little more youth than we're used to," Ryan said. "There's just not that security blanket there. Some of those guys need to step up. That's got Rivas written all over it."

Negotiations with Santana, the AL Cy Young winner, and the other three arbitration-eligible players will likely continue into the new year. Arbitration filing is in January, and the hearings take place in February if deals haven't been reached by then.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.