Rams collect first win, top Woodland 71-58

NEW YORK -- Johnny Damon closed in on a $30 million, four-year contract with Boston and Hideo Nomo returned to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday while David Wells neared a deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

On a busy day as team's prepared for their year-end break, Texas cut loose former 20-game winner Rick Helling, clearing the way for the Rangers to pursue free-agent pitcher Chan Ho Park.

Atlanta added a possible fifth starter, agreeing to a $4 million, one-year contract with right-hander Albie Lopez, who went 9-19 with Tampa Bay and Arizona last season.

The World Series champion Diamondbacks neared a one-year deal with Wells. The 38-year-old left-hander's agent said the deal is 85 percent complete, and that Wells expects to sign a contract loaded with incentives shortly after the new year.

"We hit it off well. He's happy. We're happy. We've agreed to agree," Diamondbacks owner Jerry Colangelo said. "There's some I's to dot and T's to cross and a physical to take. I fully expect him to be in a Diamondback uniform next year, and he's looking forward to it."

Meanwhile, the Mets continued to talk about possible multiple-team trades that would bring first baseman Mo Vaughn from Anaheim to New York.

In one possibility involving Los Angeles, outfielder Marquis Grissom, pitcher Kevin Appier and pitcher Matt Herges would wind up with the Angels, and pitcher Troy Percival and infielder Lenny Harris would go to the Dodgers. The Mets also were dangling first baseman Todd Zeile as trade bait.

On the last day for teams to offer 2002 contracts to unsigned players on their 40-man rosters, several players agreed to contracts, including Milwaukee right-hander Jeff D'Amico ($1.84 million), Chicago White Sox infielder Tony Graffanino ($1.25 million for two years) and Philadelphia infielder Tomas Perez ($475,000).

Players not offered contracts -- teams didn't want to go to salary arbitration with many of them -- become free agents today. In addition to Helling, Texas let go of outfielder Ricky Ledee, pitcher Justin Thompson and infielder Scott Sheldon.