The Giants filled out their infield Monday, agreeing to an $8 million, two-year contract with first baseman Rich Aurilia and a $5.1 million, one-year deal with third baseman Pedro Feliz. Ray Durham was also re-signed to a two-year, $14.5 million contract last Friday, and 11-time Gold Glove shortstop Omar Vizquel is signed through the 2007 season. Aurilia can play any infield position, but manager Bruce Bochy said Monday he expects him to spend most of his time at first base. He batted .300 with 23 home runs and 70 RBIs in 440 at-bats in 2006. Feliz batted .244 and matched his career-high with 22 home runs last season.

Then, San Francisco bolstered their catcher spot by inking Bengie Molina to a three-year deal. After Mike Matheny missed most of last season with post-concussion syndrome, the Giants needed to fill the spot. Molina hit .284 (123-for-433) with 19 HR and 57 RBI for the Blue Jays last season. Next, the Giants turned their attention to the outfield, signing Dave Roberts, formerly of the Padres, to a three-year, $18 million deal. He will take over as the everyday center fielder, pushing Randy Winn to right fielder.

That just left one other position to worry about…

On Monday and Tuesday this week, Giants GM Brian Sabean had discussions with Barry Bonds agent, Jeff Borris, about bringing Bonds back to San Francisco for a 15th season. The team has been exchanging offers with Borris and is really interested in bringing back the seven-time MVP back for 2007. It would makes sense for him to break Hank Aaron's career home run record of 755 in a Giants uniform. He’ll enter 2007 with 734 home runs, 22 from breaking Aaron's mark. Last season, Bonds started slow out of the gate, but finished strong, hitting .270 with 26 homers and 77 RBI in 367 at-bats. With San Francisco’s resurgent interest in the controversial, bigger-than-life athlete, it looks like Bonds is destined to enter the history books wearing No. 25 in a Giants’ uniform. The only question yet to be answered is if there will be an asterisk next to his name.

Around the Majors

Chris Carpenter and the Cardinals agreed to a five-year contract that guarantees him about $65 million.  The ace had been signed through 2007 as part of an agreement that called for a $7 million salary next year. The Cardinals exercised his 2008 option at $9 million as part of the new agreement and added guaranteed years for 2009, 2010 and 2011 plus a club option for 2012. If the new option is exercised, the deal would be worth about $77 million.

The Mariners and Jose Guillen agreed on a one-year, $5.5 million contract Monday with a mutual option for 2008. Guillen missed much of the 2006 season following reconstructive surgery on his right elbow. He finished with a .216 average, nine home runs and 40 RBI in 69 games. The 30-year-old will take over right field from Ichiro Suzuki, who is moving to center field – that is a deadly outfield tandem. He underwent a thorough physical with the Mariners' medical staff earlier this week and the team thinks he will return to full strength for 2007. Guillen said doctors have told him he will be completely healthy by January and ready to go in spring training. He is already doing some hitting and light throwing.

Scott Podsednik agreed to a one-year, $2.9 million contract with the White Sox, avoiding arbitration. He hit .261 with three home runs, 45 RBIs and 40 stolen bases in 2006. Those were decent numbers for a leadoff hitter, but represented quite a drop-off for Pods, who hit .290 and stole 59 bases the year before. Nevertheless, he leads the major leagues with 169 steals over the last three seasons and has a ton of value in Roto leagues because of it. … Takashi Saito agreed to $1 million, one-year contract on Tuesday with the Dodgers. The 36-year-old Japanese right-hander set a franchise rookie-record 24 saves for Los Angeles last season. In 72 games, he went 6-2 with a 2.07 ERA, while striking out 107 in 78 1/3 innings. After taking over as the closer on May 15, he allowed only 12 earned runs in 58 1/3 innings for a 1.85 ERA over his final 53 appearances.

Vicente Padilla is close to reaching a deal to return to the Rangers in a multiyear deal. He is expected to get $10 million-$11 million per year as the team’s No. 3 starter. … Cleveland and Joe Borowski are close to agreeing on a one-year deal. He’ll probably be the front-runner to take over the club’s closer position initially. He went 3-3 with a 3.75 ERA and 36 saves for the surprising Marlins last season. … The Cubs have reportedly offered free agent Ted Lilly a four-year deal. Agent Larry O'Brien also plans on negotiating with the Yankees, Orioles, Rangers and Giants. … The Reds re-signed free-agent David Weathers on Monday. The right-handed reliever will receive a two-year deal worth around $5 million. He’s appeared in 140 games out of the Reds bullpen the past couple seasons.

Greg Maddux and the Padres have agreed to terms on a two-year deal worth $16.5 million - $20 million. If the veteran pitches at least 180 innings for the Padres next year, he’ll get the full amount. Maddux, who will turn 41 on April 14, went 15-14 with a 4.20 ERA last season while splitting time between the Cubs and the Dodgers. He owns a home in Southern California and wanted to finish his career there. The Padres have one of the best pitching parks in the major leagues, so this move is perfect for Mad Dog. Last season, they ranked No. 1 in the NL with a 3.87 team ERA. Maddux has won at least 15 games in 18 of the past 19 seasons and showed flashes of brilliance again in his 40’s last season.  Expect a nice statistical season from the future Hall of Famer in his new pitcher-friendly confines.

J.D. Drew and the Red Sox are very close to agreeing to a $70 million, five-year deal. Red Sox GM Theo Epstein said the deal is just pending a physical. With Trot Nixon likely gone, Drew will take over the everyday right field position and will likely bat fifth in the lineup, behind David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez – if Manny isn’t traded. In 146 games for the Dodgers last season, he hit .283 with 20 homers and a team-high 100 RBI. He became a free agent when he opted out of the last three years of his five-year, $55 million contract last month.

In other news from Beantown, Jon Lester's doctors have told him he's cancer-free from lymphoma and should be able to report to spring training on time. Last season, the rookie won his first five starts and finished an impressive 7-2 with a 4.76 ERA. In August, he was diagnosed with anaplastic large cell lymphoma, ending his season. Lester underwent four courses of chemotherapy before a scan came up clean. "I'm cancer-free right now. That's it. I have one more treatment Dec. 21 and then I'll be done," Lester said. He’ll be competing for the No. 5 spot of one of the deepest staffs in baseball behind Curt Schilling, Josh Beckett, Jonathan Papelbon and Daisuke Matsuzaka.