Timlin signs on for next season

Reliever Mike Timlin, who last season set a Red Sox record with 81 appearances, signed on for another year yesterday for $3.5 million, though the deal includes deferrals without interest that bring the present value closer to $3.1 million.

Timlin, who will be 40 next season, represented himself in contract negotiations after severing ties to longtime agent David Sloane.

In three seasons with the Sox, Timlin is 18-11 with a 3.30 ERA in 229 appearances, the third most in the majors since the start of the 2003 season, trailing only Ray King (243) and Scott Eyre (243). Timlin has made 893 career appearances, trailing only Mike Stanton (1,027) among active pitchers.

Timlin, predominantly an eighth-inning setup man, moved to closer late last summer when Curt Schilling returned to the rotation, and converted 11 of 13 save opportunities.

No truth to rumor

Arizona general manager Josh Byrnes, who last week was the assistant GM of the Sox, quashed speculation raised in yesterday's Los Angeles Times of a possible three-way deal between the Red Sox, Diamondbacks, and Angels that would send Manny Ramirez to Los Angeles and bring Arizona third baseman Troy Glaus and Angels first baseman Darin Erstad to Boston. Prospects would also change hands, according to the Times, which cited baseball sources in its report.

''Nothing to the trade rumor," Byrnes said.

A survey of the league's landscape suggests that the Angels and Mets would be most interested in and capable of dealing for Ramirez, both in terms of prospects and money to spend.

Ramirez, last Friday, through a representative, informed owner John Henry that he wants out.

''I don't even want to think about that," David Ortiz said by phone earlier this week. ''I guess we're going to have to deal with it."