MLB NOTEBOOK: K-ROD AMONG ANGELS SIGNEES.

Byline: Staff and Wire Services

Unable to land multi-year deals with pitchers Francisco Rodriguez and Scot Shields, the Angels instead signed both to one-year deals Tuesday, while utilityman Robb Quinlan got a two-year contract.

The deals avoided arbitration with all three players.

Rodriguez came to terms on a one-year, $7 million contract. The 25- year-old led the major leagues in saves last season with 47. The right- hander, who had a 1.73 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 73 innings last season, earned $3.775million in 2006.

Shields, 31, signed a one-year deal worth $3.4 million, a $1.3million raise from last season. The right-hander, the Angels' primary set-up man, was 7-7 with a 2.87 ERA last season.

Quinlan reached a two-year deal worth $1.85 million. He will make $800,000 in the upcoming season with $50,000 bonuses available for reaching 250, 300 and 350 plate appearances.

Quinlan, 29, had career highs last season in runs (28), home runs (nine) and RBIs (32). He hit .321.

-- Doug Padilla 

Sosa, Rangers nearing agreement: Sammy Sosa and the Texas Rangers are negotiating a minor-league contract that would allow the former slugger to attempt his comeback in the town where he began his career.

Sosa, who hasn't played since the 2005 season, had a second workout for the Rangers on Monday, then had dinner with general manager Jon Daniels and other team officials. An agreement appears likely.

Sosa's major league debut came in 1989 for the Rangers. During 17 seasons with the Rangers (1989), Chicago White Sox (1989-91), Chicago Cubs (1992-2004) and Baltimore (2005), Sosa hit .274 with 588home runs and 1,575 RBIs.

More arbitration: Chicago Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano asked for a raise to $15.5 million while batting champions Joe Mauer and Freddy Sanchez (Burbank High) also sought big hikes in salary arbitration.

AL MVP Justin Morneau and Florida star Miguel Cabrera looked to cash in, too, as 56 players exchanged figures with their teams.

Zambrano, who went 16-7 for the Cubs last year and made $6.65 million, was offered $11,025,000 by Chicago.

Cabrera, eligible for arbitration for the first time, asked for a raise from $472,000 to $7.4 million and was offered $6.7 million. He hit .339 with 26 homers and 114RBIs last year.

Mauer, who hit .347 to win the AL batting title, requested a raise from $400,000 to $4.5 million, and the Minnesota Twins offered $3.3 million. Morneau, who batted .321 with 34 homers and 130RBIs, asked the Twins for a raise from $385,000 to $5 million. He was offered $4 million.

Sanchez hit .344 for Pittsburgh to win his first batting crown and asked the Pirates to increase his salary from $342,000 to $3.1 million. Pittsburgh offered him $2.15 million.

If players and teams don't settle, three-person arbitration panels will select their salaries next month. Among the forty players who reached agreements Tuesday to avoid arbitration: Houston reliever Brad Lidge ($5.35 million), Detroit outfielder Craig Monroe ($4,775,000), Chicago White Sox third baseman Joe Crede ($4.94 million), Colorado outfielder Matt Holliday ($4.4 million), Philadelphia center fielder Aaron Rowand ($4.35 million), Texas outfielder Brad Wilkerson ($4.35 million), Oakland outfielder Milton Bradley ($4 million) and Milwaukee outfielder Kevin Mench ($3.4 million).

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo:

Closer Francisco Rodriguez will earn $7 million with the Angels this season. He earned $3.775 million in 2006.

Brad Mangin/MLB Photos via Getty Images