NEW YORK (AP) – While teams waited and wondered if Boston, Texas and Alex Rodriguez would strike a deal, other clubs and players made a flurry of moves Friday ahead of two big offseason deadlines.

Right-hander Kevin Millwood made the biggest announcement, saying he had accepted the Philadelphia Phillies’ offer of salary arbitration.

Millwood, who made $9.9 million in his first season with the Phillies, had been seeking a five-year contract worth about $15 million per season.

By accepting the offer, he is considered to be a signed player under baseball’s rules. If the sides can’t work out an agreement, his salary would be determined by an arbitration panel in February.

Left-hander Gabe White was the only other player to accept among the 25 free agents offered arbitration Dec. 7, returning to the New York Yankees.

Players had until midnight Friday to accept the offers – those rejected may re-sign with their old teams through Jan. 8. Among those rejecting arbitration were B.J. Surhoff and David Wells, who is close to agreement with the Yankees on a minor league deal.

In other free-agent news, outfielder Jose Guillen finalized his $6 million, two-year contract with Anaheim and reliever Steve Sparks agreed to a $500,000, one-year contract with Arizona.

Right-hander Antonio Alfonseca settled on a one-year contract with Atlanta.

“This is the beginning of my new career, and I’m going to prove to everyone the kind of player I am,” said Guillen, who went 5-for-11 against Boston in the playoffs despite playing with a broken left hand that required surgery on Oct. 8.

“Sometimes you have to play in pain and give it everything you’ve got. The hand is perfect now, and I can’t wait to go to spring training.”

Other teams looked ahead to Saturday, the last day to offer 2004 contracts to unsigned players on 40-man rosters – making it the last day to cut players eligible for salary arbitration without owing money. Players not offered contracts become free agents Sunday.

Two teams announced their moves a day early. The Yankees didn’t give contracts to outfielders Karim Garcia and David Dellucci, and Montreal didn’t extend offers to right-handers Orlando Hernandez, Hector Almonte and Britt Reames.

Twenty arbitration-eligible players facing the tender deadline agreed to contracts Friday.

Outfielder Carlos Lee agreed to a $15 million, two-year contract with the Chicago White Sox, who gave an $800,000, one-year deal to left-hander Kelly Wunsch.

Infielder Wes Helms got a $4.5 million, two-year contract from Milwaukee, and left-hander Scott Eyre agreed to a $2.45 million, two-year contract with San Francisco.

The New York Mets agreed to a $1 million, two-year deal with utilityman Joe McEwing and an $850,000, one-year contract with outfielder Tino Perez.

The Chicago Cubs agreed to one-year deals with infielder Ramon Martinez ($900,000), catcher Paul Bako ($865,000) and utilityman Jose Macias ($750,000), acquired from the Expos earlier in the day for right-hander Wilton Chavez.

Florida agreed to one-year contracts with catcher Mike Redmond ($840,000), left-hander Michael Tejera ($425,000), outfielder Brian Banks ($400,000) and catcher Ramon Castro ($400,000).

Cincinnati gave one-year agreements to catcher Jason LaRue ($2.6 million) and infielder D’Angelo Jimenez ($1,615,000), and Tampa Bay agreed to one-year deals with infielder Geoff Blum ($1.5 million) and right-hander Rob Bell ($500,000),

Also agreeing to one-year contracts were Minnesota second baseman Luis Rivas ($1.5 million), Los Angeles second baseman Alex Cora ($1.3 million) and Pittsburgh left-hander Joe Beimel ($535,000).

AP-ES-12-19-03 2255EST