Lowell is re-signed by Marlins

Lowell agreed yesterday to a $32 million, four-year contract with the Marlins, who also confirmed their $16 million, three-year deal with Castillo.

Pushing ahead with the team's offseason business, general manager Larry Beinfest said the Marlins had made a multiyear offer to Rodriguez, the 10-time All-Star catcher who was a key to the Marlins' World Series title.

Florida has until Sunday to sign Rodriguez, whose previous contract prohibits the Marlins from offering salary arbitration.

Rodriguez hit .297 with 16 homers and 85 RBIs during the regular season, then had three homers and 17 RBIs in the postseason and was selected MVP of the NL Championship Series.

Sheffield: Act 2

Gary Sheffield met with Yankees owner George Steinbrenner for the second straight day, and all signs pointed toward the outfielder signing with New York. Sheffield and his agent, Rufus Williams, had another one-hour meeting with Steinbrenner at Legends Field, the team's spring training complex in Tampa, Fla. Meanwhile, the Yankees are continuing talks with Andy Pettitte, maintaining that their top priority this offseason is to re-sign the lefthander, who went 21-8 last season. The Yankees signed 30-year-old backup infielder Enrique Wilson to a one-year contract, avoiding arbitration . . . The Chicago Cubs picked up a key bridge to closer Joe Borowski, agreeing to an $11 million, three-year contract with hard-throwing righthander LaTroy Hawkins. Minnesota general manager Terry Ryan, who had been trying to re-sign the reliever, said he was informed last night of the decision by Hawkins's agent, Larry Reynolds . . . A dietary supplement firm thinks the Baltimore Orioles are liable in the February death of 23-year-old pitcher Steve Bechler and wants the team to pay any damages stemming from a lawsuit filed by the player's widow. Nutraquest Inc. of Wall Township, N.J., formerly known as Cytodyne Technologies Inc., asked the US District Court in Miami for permission to file suit against the Orioles. Nutraquest claims the tragedy "could have been avoided" if the team had acted properly . . . Texas Rangers manager Buck Showalter had a telephone conversation with Alex Rodriguez and said he wasn't aware of any problems in his relationship with the star shortstop. When he won the AL MVP last month, Rodriguez praised owner Tom Hicks during a conference call, but refused comment several times when asked about his relationship with general manager John Hart and Showalter . . . Sign of the times: righthander Dustin Hermanson decided to remain with the San Francisco Giants, agreeing to an $800,000, one-year contract; righthander Brian Meadows, who shuffled last season between the Pittsburgh Pirates' starting rotation, the bullpen, and the minor leagues, agreed to a $625,000, one-year contract, and lefthanded reliever Kevin Walker agreed to a $450,000 contract with the San Diego Padres . . . The Chicago White Sox bolstered their infield depth, getting Juan Uribe from the Rockies for minor league infielder Aaron Miles.