Astacio to Mets; Dye gets $32 million deal

Pedro Astacio landed with the New York Mets on Wednesday and Eric Young signed with the Milwaukee Brewers as the slow-moving free-agent market pushed forward.

Meanwhile, Jermaine Dye agreed to a $32 million, three-year contract with Oakland and Bret Boone, who became a free agent and then accepted an arbitration offer to return to Seattle, agreed to a $25 million, three-year contract.

A total of 90 players filed for salary arbitration a day earlier.

Minnesota right-hander Joe Mays got a $20 million, four-year contract, and Detroit right-hander Danny Patterson agreed to a $7 million, three-year deal.

Four players agreed to one-year contracts: Anaheim outfielder Darin Erstad ($6.25 million), Kansas City left-hander Jose Rosado ($3.25 million), St. Louis outfielder J.D. Drew ($3.1 million) and Boston catcher Doug Mirabelli ($650,000).

Players who don't settle will exchange figures with their teams Friday for proposed one-year contracts. Hearings will be scheduled for Feb. 4-21.

In smaller free agent deals, catcher Scott Servais agreed to a minor league contract with San Francisco, a deal that calls for him to get a $400,000, one-year contract if he's added to the major league roster. Right-hander Alan Benes agreed to a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs.

Astacio is guaranteed $5 million, and can make an additional $5 million next season in performance bonuses if he pitches 230 innings.

Astacio's contract becomes guaranteed for at least $6 million in 2003 if he pitches 180 innings.

If healthy, Astacio would give the Mets a much-needed righty for their rotation. He was shut down late last season because of a partial tear in his pitching shoulder.

"You never have any assurances," Mets general manager Steve Phillips said.ips said. "He clearly didn't have a sore arm."

Young, a second baseman, batted .279 with six home runs, 42 RBIs and 31 stolen bases last season for the Chicago Cubs. He is ranked ninth among active players with 377 career steals.

"Eric is a quality, proven leadoff hitter," general manager Dean Taylor said. "He is a guy who knows how to get on base."

Dye, acquired by Oakland from Kansas City in a July trade, could have become a free agent after next season.

"A lot of our guys who are young are locked up for three, four years," Dye said. "When I came here, everything changed in my mind. It was like I was playing major league baseball for the first time again. It was fun again."

His deal contains a mutual option for 2005 that could make the outfielder's contract worth $44.5 million over four seasons.

Boone, 32, finished third in the American League MVP voting last year when he set AL records for second basemen in home runs and RBIs. He hit .331 with 36 homers and 141 RBIs.

His contract contains a team option for 2005 that would become guaranteed if he has 500 plate appearances the previous year. The contract would be worth $33 million over four seasons.

Mays' contract has team option for 2006 at a price of $8.5 million to $9.75 million, depending on innings.

"I'm ecstatic," said Mays, who had a breakthrough season in 2001 -- going 17-13 with a 3.16 ERA. He was a big factor in the Twins' best season since 1991.

"We had a fun run last year," he said. "I hope to be able to finish what we started."