White Sox, C Davis reach agreement on one-year, $1M deal

CHICAGO -- Catcher Ben Davis and the Chicago White Sox agreed on a $1 million, one-year deal Tuesday, one day after the team cut him by failing to offer a 2005 contract.

By allowing him to briefly leave the roster, the White Sox got around baseball's maximum cut rule. Davis made $1.4 million last season.

Davis, 27, hit .207 with six home runs and 18 RBI in 68 games with Seattle and the White Sox last season. Davis, who was San Diego's first-round draft choice in 1995, is a .237 career hitter with 38 home runs and 204 RBI in seven seasons with the Padres, Mariners and White Sox.

Chicago also agreed to minor league contracts with pitchers Ryan Meaux and Eduardo Villacis, who also had been let go Monday.