Baseball notebook: Leiter, Marlins close to a deal
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While the Mets brain trust huddled in organizational meetings at a Westchester County resort for a second consecutive day, left-hander Al Leiter appears close to accepting a contract offer from the Florida Marlins.
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Longtime Met Al Leiter signed a one-year deal with the Marlins on Wednesday, choosing Florida over the Yankees, who had hoped to acquire the veteran lefty.
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The Braves&#39; magic number to clinch the NL East remained at 10, thanks to Florida&#39;s 4-3 victory over Montreal...Keppinger&#39;s error was the 130th this season for the Mets, tops in the majors...Betemit&#39;s RBI was the first of his career...Atlanta holds a 10-6
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MIAMI -- Free agent outfielder Luis Gonzalez and the Florida Marlins have reached a preliminary agreement on a $2 million, one-year contract.
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Al Leiter became a free agent Monday when the New York Mets declined his &#36;10.2 million option and decided to pay a &#36;2.1 million buyout.
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The Florida Marlins reached a four-year, $52 million contract agreement with Carlos Delgado, the fearsome first baseman the Mets had tried to sign.
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Kris Benson and Al Leiter are likely to be back with the New York Mets next season.
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Nearly three years have passed since the Florida Marlins' self-imposed deadlines for securing a new ballpark agreement all came and went without the completion of a deal. So now, they're trying a new tact.
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Armando Benitez returned to the Florida Marlins on Friday, and the veteran right-hander said he had no problem moving from his customary closer job to a setup role. Benitez was the closer for the San Francisco Giants until they sent him to the Marlins Thursday night for reliever Randy Messenger.
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(Sports Network) - The Florida Marlins are keeping their manager for 2005, but the Philadelphia Phillies will have a new skipper for next season.
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MIAMI - The Florida Marlins are fading so badly they can&#39;t even beat the Philadelphia Phillies anymore. Cory Lidle took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, Ryan Madson escaped a jam, and the Phils ended two
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Now that Kris Benson is definitely returning to the New York Mets, the right-hander hopes Al Leiter will be back, too.
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Imagine a Marlins rotation next year of Carl Pavano, Al Leiter, AJ Burnett, Josh Beckett and Dontrelle Willis. At least the Marlins&#39; front office is thinking that way.
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Backup catcher John Flaherty is close to agreement with the New York Yankees in what is likely to be the team's first free-agent signing of the offseason.
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ST. LOUIS Â· The Marlins&#39; chances of retaining Mike Lowell appeared much stronger Tuesday as the club continued to make progress toward finalizing a new stadium in downtown Miami.
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A team led by local developer Stephen R. Karp is expected to sign an agreement today to purchase Fan Pier, elbowing out Lennar Corp. , a Miami-based national home builder that last week missed making a down payment for the property.
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CHICAGO Â· The Marlins are beginning to identify with the Montreal Expos as far as playing home games on the road. The Marlins already had to make up one of last weekend&#39;s three postponed