DODGERS UPDATE: 1-YEAR DEAL FOR BELTRE.

Byline: Rich Hammond Staff Writer

The Dodgers solidified their often-tenuous relationship with third baseman Adrian Beltre on Friday, when the team avoided arbitration and signed him to a one-year contract.

Beltre will earn $3.7 million this season after an inconsistent 2002 in which he hit a career-best 21 home runs along with 75 RBI and a .257 average and was the subject of trade rumors.

The Dodgers also signed versatile 12-year veteran Terry Shumpert to a minor-league contract and invited him to spring training. Shumpert, 36, excelled as a pinch hitter for the Colorado Rockies last season.

Those moves came a day after the Dodgers avoided arbitration with starting pitcher Odalis Perez, who agreed to a one-year, $3.4-million deal, and signed journeyman starter Wilson Alvarez to a minor-league contract.

Giovanni Carrara, a right-handed reliever, remains the only unsigned Dodger eligible for arbitration. The two sides reportedly are far apart, with Carrara asking for $880,000 and the Dodgers offering $725,000. Carrara earned $360,000 in 2002, when he appeared in 63 games with a 3.28 ERA.

Perez and Beltre received significant raises. The 25-year-old Perez won nine of his first 12 decisions last season, his first with the Dodgers and first as a full-time starter. He finished 15-10 with a 3.00 ERA and received a base salary of $625,000.

Beltre, 23, earned $2.3 million in 2002, when he hit better than .300 for the first month of the season but then slumped to .235 by the start of July.

The Dodgers acquired Tyler Houston from Milwaukee to put some heat on Beltre, who responded by hitting .335 with 11 home runs and 36 RBI after the All-Star break.

Beltre will have the longest tenure among expected starters in the Dodgers' infield, alongside newly acquired first baseman Fred McGriff, rookie second baseman Joe Thurston and second-year shortstop Cesar Izturis.

In his five-year career with the Dodgers, Beltre has played 652 games, fifth-most in team history for third basemen. He has a .267 career batting average with 76 home runs and 309 RBI.

Neither Scott Boras, the agent for Beltre and Perez, nor Dodgers general manager Dan Evans could be reached for comment Friday.

The acquisition of Alvarez is a low-risk investment that could provide the Dodgers with some pitching depth, either as a starter or a reliever.

Alvarez, a 32-year-old left-hander, went 2-3 with a 5.28 ERA as a part-time starter with Tampa Bay last season after missing the entire 2000 and 2001 seasons with elbow and rib cage injuries.

Alvarez twice won 15 games with the Chicago White Sox and has a career record of 88-80 with a 4.03 ERA.