Matsui, Athletics closing in on deal

Hideki Matsui and the Oakland Athletics worked yesterday to complete a contract that would make the free agent the team's new designated hitter.

A person with knowledge of the deal confirmed to The Associated Press that the sides were close. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because there was no formal announcement. The deal was expected to be finalized today after a physical.

Oakland general manager Billy Beane has been looking for a DH to boost production in the middle of the batting order. The A's hit only 109 homers and scored 663 runs last season.

The 36-year-old Matsui batted .274 with 21 home runs and 84 RBIs last season with the Los Angeles Angels. He spent his first seven major-league seasons with the Yankees and was MVP of the 2009 World Series.

Orioles re-sign Uehara

Righthander Koji Uehara has finalized a one-year, $3-million deal with the Baltimore Orioles, who hope the former Japanese star will continue to excel as the team's closer.

After serving as a starter in 2009, Uehara, 35, enjoyed success as a stopper in the latter part of the 2010 season. He went 1-2 with 13 saves and a 2.86 ERA. He led AL relievers in fewest walks per nine innings and strikeout-to-walk ratio (11-to-1).

. The average rose 0.6 percent from last year's $2,996,106.

The Yankees had the highest final average at $7,604,937, down slightly from $7,663,351 when they won the World Series in 2009. Philadelphia rose from eighth to second at $5,662,551.

Boston ($4,821,016) remained third, and the Chicago White Sox ($4,580,868) climbed from 12th to fourth followed by the Chicago Cubs ($4,107,304), who dropped from second.

The Mets ($4,027,527) were eighth.Pittsburgh was last for the second straight season at $1,140,598.

Only three of the top seven teams by average salary made the postseason, with the Yankees and Phillies joined by the World Series champion San Francisco Giants, who were seventh at $4,042,950.- AP