Right-handed starter Sidney Ponson has agreed to a one-year with the St. Louis Cardinals, ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick has confirmed.

Terms of the deal have not been announced, but the contract is believed to have a low base salary with plenty of incentives.

The Cardinals are expected to announce the signing Wednesday. Ponson will join Chris Carpenter, Mark Mulder, Jason Marquis and Jeff Suppan in manager Tony La Russa's rotation. St. Louis finished second to Toronto in a bid to sign free agent A.J. Burnett, and lost starter Matt Morris to the San Francisco Giants through free agency. Ponson was scheduled to make $10 million in 2006 before the Orioles voided his contract. He was entering the final year of a three-year, $22.5 million deal.

The agreement with Ponson comes just days after Ponson was released from a Baltimore jail after serving a five-day sentence for drunken driving.

Ponson also spent 11 days in an Aruban jail following an incident in which he punched a judge on a beach.

Ponson was released by the Orioles on Sept. 6 and the team voided his contract, prompting a grievance from the players' association, which is scheduled to be heard in March.

Ponson has a career record of 76-91 with a 4.81 ERA. Before being released by the Orioles, Ponson was 7-11 with a 6.21 ERA.

Have you Chicago guys heard the rumor of Jose Vidro to the Cubs for Kerry Wood? Interesting.

Have you Chicago guys heard the rumor of Jose Vidro to the Cubs for Kerry Wood? Interesting.

There's a rumor of a three way trade between the Phillies, Orioles, and Astros.

Phillies get Erik Bedard, Jay Gibbons, Jorge Julio
Astros get Bobby Abreu
Orioles get Brad Lidge and Jason Lane

As a Phillies fan, I wouldn't do it.

The San Francisco Giants acquired outfielder Steve Finley from the Los Angeles Angels for third baseman Edgardo Alfonzo on Wednesday in a swap of former All-Stars who dropped off dramatically last season.

The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox got extra bills Wednesday.

The Yankees owe $34,053,787 following tax payments of $25,964,060 last year and $3,148,962 in 2003.

Boston must pay $4,156,476, up from $3,148,962 last year.

Using 40-man rosters, the average annual values of contracts and including benefits, the Yankees' payroll finished at $213.1 million, followed by Boston at $141.9 million, the New York Mets at $119.2 million, the Los Angeles Angels at $115.9 million and Seattle at $111.9 million.

Also Wednesday, the Major League Baseball Players Association said salaries resumed their climb this year after a rare one-season drop.

The average salary rose 7.2 percent to $2,479,125, according to the union's annual study. The increase was the steepest since a 7.3 percent rise in 2002 and followed a 2.5 percent decrease last year — only the third drop since the union began tracking salaries in 1967.

The Yankees had the highest average salary for the seventh straight season, setting a record at $7,391,168. For the second year in a row, Pittsburgh was the only team with an average below $1 million, finishing at $963,674.

In its first season in Washington, the Nationals averaged $1.91 million, up from $1.23 million in the team's final season as the Montreal Expos. The Florida Marlins dropped their average from $2.12 million to $1.87 million and are likely to have the lowest average next year after shedding nearly all of their veteran players since the end of the season.

The union study was based on the 904 players on Aug. 31 rosters and disabled lists.

Third basemen were the highest-paid players at an average of $5.7 million, followed by outfielders ($4.7 million), first basemen ($4.3 million), designated hitter ($3.9 million), starting pitchers ($3.8 million), catchers ($4.1 million), shortstops ($3.5 million), second basemen ($2.9 million) and relief pitchers ($1.3 million).

Prolly won't matter to anyone but Orioles fans but it should--Elrod Hendricks died Wed, a day after his 65th bday. He was a staple at both Memorial and Camden Yards in the bullpen until he had a stroke last year. The man was a monument to both the Orioles and to baseball. One of the friendliest people around, and would take time to meet and greet all the fans who wanted his autograph or a picture. As I said elsewhere, even when nothing else was to be expected at the ballpark, one this that was a constant was El's smiling face, and his love for the fans, the club and baseball.

RIP Elrod.

I not sure I get how taking medication for depression would make you rob a store.

Garland re-signs with White Sox avoiding arbitration and trade

3 years 29 million

7 million in 06
10 million in 07
12 million in 08

just announced, link to follow

What can't KW do? 3 years, under $10 mil a year on average. Awesome... I guess this means Jose is on his way out? I think this was a race to see who doesn't get dealt.

Jose was close to extending two weeks ago - and I'm sure the fire is under his ass now, but he may not want to return as much because of Duque's departure - and truth be told Jose's value will never, ever, ever be higher no matter what he does next season. I move him in a heartbeat for a LH reliever, and pitching prospects from each side.

What can't KW do?

I'm not saying that its not a fair deal, but its amazing that $29MM/3 years is considered a good signing for a pitcher with one good year in the ML.

I'm not sure why you'd say Contrera's value will never be higher unless you think his second half and playoff performance were a total fluke. I'd think repeating that level of performance would make him much more valuable. Whether its fair or not, I think many still wonder whether he's totally turned the corner.

I think if he has, he could grow into one of the top 5 starters in baseball.

I wouldn't mind keeping Garland and Contreras. If a pitcher gets injured or starts to suck, B-Mac is the ultimate insurance.