He's now an artful Dodger

Can't you picture it? Bill Mueller makes the talk-show rounds in his new town, beginning with Jay Leno before moving on to Jimmy Kimmel, and perhaps, for added levity, ''The Best Damn Sports Show Period"?

''For whatever reason," former teammate Gabe Kapler said last night, ''I still can't see Billy out in the public eye like that."

Mueller, who reached agreement with the Los Angeles Dodgers yesterday, almost certainly will remain the quiet professional he was in Boston, where Kevin Millar dubbed him Billy Ballgame for his disposition and singular focus. But, Mueller, who turns 35 in March, will be far better compensated, reportedly agreeing to a two-year, $9.5 million deal after earning $6.7 million total in his three seasons in Boston.

''You look back, we signed that two-year deal with an option, and for three years he was outstanding," said Jed Hoyer, the Sox' recently appointed co-general manager.

The Sox, with a cheap and ready alternative in Kevin Youkilis, had no intention of signing Mueller to a multiyear deal. They offered him arbitration last week, and had he accepted, he would have been considered a signed player for this season. However, the Sox made that offer mostly to guarantee themselves of draft-pick compensation, when Mueller inevitably signed elsewhere.

He reportedly was offered a three-year contract by the Pirates but, at face value, seems to have chosen the chance to win over an extra year's security. In Los Angeles, he'll also be reunited with Grady Little, who managed Mueller with the Red Sox in 2003 when he won the AL batting title with a .326 average. Mueller reportedly placed a call to Dodgers GM Ned Colletti during Colletti's managerial search, telling him that Little ''might be the best manager I've ever played for." That list includes Dusty Baker, whom Mueller played for in San Francisco, and Terry Francona.

Mueller, in his three seasons in Boston, was one of baseball's most cost-efficient players. With salaries of $2.1 million in 2003 and '04, and $2.5 million in '05, Mueller played in 406 games and hit .303, the 21st-best mark in baseball over the past three seasons among players with a minimum of 1,000 plate appearances. Among third basemen, only Baltimore's Melvin Mora (.312) posted a better average, and among switch hitters, only Detroit's Carlos Guillén (.305) outhit Mueller.

''You couldn't ask for more, on and off the field," Hoyer said. ''This is a guy the city of Boston grew to love. He was such a gamer. He plays hard, he's a quiet leader on the team. Two of the three years, he was incredibly durable."

A .292 career hitter, Mueller hit .295 with a .369 OBP last season, providing 10 homers and 62 RBIs in 150 games. In fact, Mueller, after undergoing arthroscopic surgery Feb. 7, arrived at spring training saying his goal was to play a career high in games, and he came within three games of doing so. He made only 10 errors in playing a quietly spectacular third base.

''I think it's always an issue," Kapler said of Mueller's worn knees. ''Billy definitely is one of those guys who plays hurt consistently and plays well."

Mueller stands to be remembered for the full body of work -- the subdued demeanor, thorough at-bats, and steady glove -- but two hits, both off Mariano Rivera, secured a legacy: the walkoff homer July 24, 2004, the seminal moment on the club's way to the World Series, and the ninth-inning, game-tying run-scoring single that plated Dave Roberts in Game 4 of that year's ALCS.

Mueller will be expected to give the Dodgers much-needed stability at third base, where they used seven players last season in the wake of Adrian Beltre's departure.

Seeing blue?

The Dodgers, according to a report yesterday in Newsday, also could be in pursuit of Johnny Damon. That paper, citing ''multiple officials," reported that Damon is scheduled to meet with the Dodgers in Los Angeles this weekend. However, a Dodgers source disputed that yesterday, saying the club's interest in Damon has not progressed to the point that a visit had been scheduled.

However, the Dodgers could become involved in the bidding, and the presence of Little and Mueller certainly wouldn't hurt the Dodgers' chances of landing Damon. In the index of Damon's book, under Little's name, there are five page references listed after the heading ''Admiration for." And Mueller? Well, Damon fondly said of him this past season, ''I want my son to play like Billy Mueller."

The Yankees, too, might make a play for the 32-year-old Sox leadoff hitter. Yankees manager Joe Torre, who often helps GM Brian Cashman recruit players by placing phone calls to them, reportedly dialed Damon earlier this week.

The Sox, meanwhile, have made two known offers to Damon, most recently for four years and $40 million. Hoyer said yesterday that the Damon negotiation ''could go past the holidays." Damon's contract talks could drag on, similar to Carlos Beltran's last offseason. Beltran, who, like Damon, is represented by Scott Boras, didn't agree to terms with the Mets until Jan. 9. Boras did not return a message left yesterday.

High price

Miguel Tejada may yet remain an Oriole -- the team has been publicly noncommittal this week on the subject -- but unless Baltimore's initial asking price comes down significantly, the Sox are unlikely to deal for the 2002 AL MVP. The Sox offered Manny Ramírez straight up for Tejada last Friday and the Orioles, according to a source with direct knowledge of the situation, countered by asking for Ramírez, a pitcher, and a pitching prospect. If the Orioles do deal Tejada, all indications point toward the club demanding a package of players in return that includes an All-Star-caliber player. With attendance in decline, and the Washington Nationals on the rise, the Orioles are in a battle for market share and probably cannot afford to take only prospects in exchange for Tejada . . . GM J.P. Ricciardi said the Blue Jays have pulled out of the Nomar Garciaparra sweepstakes, which have become too pricey for Toronto. With the Dodgers signing Mueller, that takes Los Angeles off the list of teams in the hunt for Garciaparra and only adds to the likelihood that Garciaparra could wind up in pinstripes playing first base in a Yankee infield that would also include Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez . . . Kapler, who ruptured his left Achilles' tendon in September and was released by the Sox in November, hopes to begin light jogging, swinging, and throwing within the next few weeks. And, while all projections call for Kapler to miss between half and all of the coming season, he refuses to think in those terms. ''The rest of the world can take their medical evaluation approach," Kapler said. ''I'm not saying I'm right and any doctors are wrong. I just have to take the approach that I will be ready for spring training."

Gordon Edes of the Globe staff contributed to this report.