Varitek gives a signal

The Red Sox' window for signing free agent catcher Jason Varitek grew smaller last night when Varitek declined the team's offer of salary arbitration. Midnight last night was the deadline for free agents to accept or decline arbitration.

The Sox retain the right to negotiate with Varitek until Jan. 8. If no deal is struck by then, the club would not be allowed to negotiate with him until May 1.

"We talked with [general manager] Theo [Epstein] last week and talks are ongoing," said Varitek's agent, Scott Boras. Asked if an agreement was imminent, Boras said, "Talks are ongoing."

Boras said another of his clients, free agent pitcher Derek Lowe, also declined arbitration, as expected. With the Sox having signed Edgar Renteria to play shortstop, Orlando Cabrera, who was paid $6 million last season in a contract he signed with the Expos, also declined arbitration.

In fact just three of 41 major league free agents offered arbitration by their teams accepted.

The others (with 2004 salary in parentheses) offered arbitration by the Sox who declined: Pokey Reese ($1 million), Mike Myers ($550,000), David McCarty ($500,000), and Pedro Astacio (September call-up). Pedro Martinez and Gabe Kapler were two Sox arbitration-eligible free agents who signed elsewhere -- Martinez with the Mets and Kapler with a Japanese team.

The most interesting case involved Varitek, who was paid $6.7 million last season and reportedly has asked the Sox for a four-year, $44 million deal, with the team offering in the range of $36 million. The Sox undoubtedly would have welcomed Varitek taking arbitration, which automatically would have made him signed for 2005. The sides could have continued to negotiate a long-term deal, or Varitek could have taken the club to arbitration and been expected to be paid in the neighborhood of $9 million-$10 million in a one-year deal.

Today is the deadline for the Sox to tender their remaining 40-man roster players a major league contract, excluding those who are on multiyear deals. The Sox have only three regulars eligible for salary arbitration -- second baseman Mark Bellhorn ($490,000), outfielder Dave Roberts ($975,000), and pitcher Bronson Arroyo ($322,500). The Sox have been trying to trade Roberts, and there was an outside chance they could nontender him. Bellhorn and Arroyo almost certainly will receive contracts. A fourth arbitration-eligible player, catcher Sandy Martinez, was a September call-up.

Players who are not offered a contract become free agents.

The Sox have not yet scheduled a news conference to announce the signing of free agent pitcher Matt Clement, but that is expected to happen in the next few days.