Rockies opt for Burnitz

Burnitz split time last year between the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers, hitting .239 with 31 home runs and 77 runs batted in. He was an All-Star in 1999 for Milwaukee and has hit at least 30 homers in five of his last six seasons.

The contract calls for a $1.25 million salary next season and gives the sides a $3 million mutual option with a $250,000 buyout. It is contingent on Burnitz passing a physical.

Payton became a free agent after the Rockies failed to tender him a contract by yesterday's deadline.

Garcia stays on job

The Seattle Mariners retained the services of the workhorse of one of baseball's best rotations, agreeing to a one-year, $6.875 million contract with righthander Freddy Garcia.

Garcia, who also made $6.875 million last season after winning in arbitration, has averaged 220 innings over the past three seasons but struggled in 2003, going 12-14 with a 4.51 ERA.

Seattle also retained backup third baseman Jeff Cirillo -- by different means. The Mariners had agreed on a trade with the Mets that would have sent Cirillo to New York for outfielder Roger Cedeno, but because the Mets had Cirillio slated as a reserve, he used a no-trade clause in his contract to block the deal.

"I'd rather be a backup with the Mariners," said Cirillo, a California native who lives year-round in Redmond, Wash.

Designated for a deal

The Oakland A's and designated hitter Erubiel Durazo agreed to a one-year contract, avoiding salary arbitration. In his first season with Oakland, Durazo hit .259 with 21 home runs and 77 RBIs in 154 games . . . The St. Louis Cardinals agreed to a $450,000, one-year contract with outfielder Kerry Robinson, who led the team with 46 at-bats as a pinch hitter last season, and declined to offer a 2004 contract to pitcher Gene Stechschulte, who missed last season following shoulder surgery . . . The Baltimore Orioles declined to tender an offer to righthander Jason Johnson, who at 10-10 was the Orioles' leading winner, and lefthander Damian Moss, who was 10-12 in splitting the season between Baltimore and San Francisco . . . The Mets did not offer a contract to reliever Scott Strickland, who appeared in only 19 games last season before undergoing reconstructive surgery on his right elbow. He went 0-2 with a 2.25 ERA . . . The Florida Marlins' plans to build a new ballpark in Miami appear to be dead, The Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel reported. City officials said they cannot donate land or money for the stadium, and a proposed sales tax increase in Miami-Dade County to raise money for the project is having trouble gaining support. The World Series champion Marlins are trying to rally support to build a $325 million stadium. The cost would be $450 million without donation of the land . . . Dick Butler, who spent 49 years as a major and minor league baseball executive, died at age 92 in Fort Worth. He began his career in 1946 as an assistant to commissioner A.B. "Happy" Chandler, and remained involved in the game until his retirement in 1994.