Lopez a catch for Orioles?

The free agent catcher and Baltimore were close to agreement last night on a three-year deal worth about $23 million. The team hopes to finalize the deal today. Baltimore already has added shortstop Miguel Tejada. The 2002 AL MVP agreed Dec. 14 to a $72 million, six-year contract.Baltimore also has been speaking with the agents of two other prominent free agents: catcher Ivan Rodriguez and outfielder Vladimir Guerrero. Lopez, 33, hit .328 last season for the Atlanta with 43 homers and 109 RBIs, both career highs. It was his best year since 1998, when he hit .284 with 34 homers and 106 RBIs.

But the cost-cutting Braves decided not to re-sign him and didn't offer salary arbitration Dec. 7, meaning he can't re-sign with them until May 1.

Oakland reloading

The Oakland Athletics filled two major holes when they acquired veteran catcher Damian Miller and cash from the Chicago Cubs and signed pitcher Mark Redman to a three-year contract worth about $12 million.

Oakland, the two-time defending AL West champion, also agreed to a one-year contract with outfielder Billy McMillon.

Oakland acquired Redman from the Florida Marlins Tuesday for reliever Mike Neu and future considerations. The lefthander went 14-9 with a 3.59 ERA in 29 starts for the World Series champions.

Things are starting to take shape for the A's, who last weekend lost closer Keith Foulke to the Red Sox and Tejada to the Orioles.

The A's will receive $800,000 from the Cubs, who no longer had room for Miller after signing Michael Barrett to a $1.55 million, one-year deal yesterday. Oakland will send Chicago a player to be named. The A's traded Barrett to the Cubs last Tuesday, a day after acquiring him from Montreal.

Miller takes over the position vacated when All-Star Ramon Hernandez was dealt to the San Diego Padres along with outfielder Terrence Long last month for outfielder Mark Kotsay.

Marlins land Benitez

The cash-strapped Marlins did manage to find ways to keep most of their starting infield, outfield, and pitching together this offseason. Agreeing to terms with All-Star closer Armando Benitez on a $3.5 million, one-year deal Saturday was a bonus. The Marlins also opted not to offer a deal to their former closer, Braden Looper. Benitez was the Mets' closer from 1999 through his trade midway through the 2003 season. He saved 160 games in 185 chances, but blew a major league record six of his 10 postseason save chances while with the Mets, who traded him to the Yankees in July. The Yankees sent him to Seattle three weeks later . . . Ricky Ledee and the Philadelphia Phillies avoided salary arbitration, agreeing to a $1,225,000 contract. Ledee, 30, was used primarily as a pinch hitter last season when he hit .247 with 13 home runs and 46 RBIs. He tied for third in the National League with two pinch-hit home runs.