NEW YORK (AP) – Seattle pitcher Freddy Garcia agreed to a $6,875,000, one-year contract Saturday night, about two hours before the deadline for teams to offer 2004 contracts to unsigned players on their rosters.

Garcia, a 27-year-old right-hander, slumped to a 12-14 record with a 4.51 last season after going 18-6 in 2001 and 16-10 in 2002. His salary matches the amount he won in arbitration for 2003.

Thirty-five players weren’t offered contracts as of 11:30 p.m. The Dec. 20 deadline has become increasingly important in recent years because teams are squeezing players to agree to contracts by threatening to make them free agents.

Players with more than

three years of major league service who are offered contracts are eligible for salary arbitration.

Among those cut loose was Colorado outfielder Jay Payton, who hit .302 and set career bests with 28 homers and 89 RBIs. The Rockies agreed to a one-year contract with free agent outfielder Jeromy Burnitz that guaranteed him $1.5 million.

Also let go were Cleveland pitcher Danys Baez, Oakland pitcher Mark Redman, and Baltimore pitchers Damian Moss and Jason Johnson.

Boston did offer a contract to David Ortiz, who hit .288 last season with 31 homers and 101 RBIs, both career highs.

Facing the deadline, 20 players agreed to deals Friday and Garcia was among eight players who settled for one-year contracts Saturday. The others were Oakland designated hitter Erubiel Durazo ($2.1 million), Boston catcher Doug Mirabelli ($825,000), Atlanta outfielder Gary Matthews ($800,000), Toronto shortstop Chris Woodward ($775,000), San Diego utilityman Brian Buchanan ($650,000), Milwaukee right-hander Luis Vizcaino ($550,000) and St. Louis outfielder Kerry Robinson ($450,000).

Boston didn’t offer contracts to six players: outfielder Gabe Kapler, infielders Lou Merloni and Damian Jackson, and pitchers Scott Sauerbeck, Edwin Almonte and Jason Shiell. Kapler, Almonte and Shiell are expected to re-sign with the Red Sox shortly.

Also cut loose were Anaheim utilityman Shawn Wooten; Cleveland pitcher Carl Sadler; New York Yankees outfielders David Dellucci and Karim Garcia; Oakland pitcher Jeremy Fikac and infielder Frank Menechino; Minnesota infielder Augie Ojeda; and Texas outfielder Jayson Tyner.

Not offered contracts in the NL were Cincinnati outfielders Ruben Mateo and Reggie Taylor and infielder Russell Branyan; Colorado pitcher Scott Elarton and infielder Kit Pellow; Montreal right-handers Hector Almonte, Orlando Hernandez and Britt Reames; New York Mets reliever Scott Strickland; Pittsburgh pitcher Mike Lincoln; Milwaukee pitcher Jayson Durocher; St. Louis pitcher Gene Stechschulte; Houston left-hander Nate Bland; and San Diego pitcher Mike Matthews, catcher Miguel Ojeda and infielder Todd Sears.

AP-ES-12-20-03 2339EST