Lopez and Orioles Finalize Deal

As expected, free-agent catcher Javy Lopez and Baltimore agreed to a $22.5-million, three-year deal.

The deal is contingent on Lopez’s passing a team physical today.

“Javy was the targeted guy that we were looking at in the process, and he’s thrilled to be aboard,” Oriole vice president Mike Flanagan said.

Lopez joins shortstop Miguel Tejada, the 2002 American League most valuable player, in trying to revive a team that has finished fourth in the AL East the last six seasons. Tejada had agreed earlier to a $72-million, six-year contract.

Lopez, 33, batted .328 with 43 home runs and 109 runs batted in last season for Atlanta.

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Oakland finalized a $9.2-million, three-year contract with free-agent reliever Arthur Rhodes, a deal that had been in the works for more than a week.

Rhodes, 34, will be the Athletics’ closer. He had a 3-3 record with three saves and a 4.17 earned-run average in 67 games with Seattle last season, mostly as a setup man for Kazuhiro Sasaki and Shigetoshi Hasegawa.

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The New York Yankees announced their $6.4-million, two-year contract with former Dodger reliever Paul Quantrill, who has been on the team’s roster since Dec. 17.

Quantrill, 35, was 2-5 with a 1.75 ERA last season with the Dodgers in a major league-high 89 relief appearances.

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Outfielder Gabe Kapler agreed to a $750,000, one-year contract with Boston, two days after the team allowed him to become a free agent.... Former AL rookie of the year Ben Grieve, a free agent, agreed to a $700,000, one-year contract with Milwaukee, which agreed to a $600,000, one-year contract with catcher Gary Bennett.... Pitcher Scott Strickland agreed to a $650,000, one-year contract with the New York Mets two days after the team released him.... Right-hander Jason Marquis agreed to a $525,000, one-year contract with St. Louis. Marquis was acquired by the Cardinals on Dec. 13 as part of a five-player trade that sent outfielder J.D. Drew to Atlanta.... Left-hander Armando Almanza agreed to a $500,000, one-year contract with Atlanta, two days after he was released by Florida.... Catcher Todd Greene agreed to a $550,000, one-year contract with Colorado. Greene played with Texas last season.

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New York’s highest court ended a case in which a Yankee clubhouse worker accused the team and some of its players of gay bashing, physical abuse and playing cruel practical jokes.

The Court of Appeals declined to hear an appeal sought by Paul Priore, who sued the Yankees and pitchers Mariano Rivera, Jeff Nelson and Bob Wickman in state Supreme Court in the Bronx in 1998, each for $50 million.

Priore also claimed he was fired in August 1997 because he was HIV-positive. The Appellate Division had ruled there was no evidence that team officials knew Priore had the AIDS virus.

Wickman is with Cleveland and Nelson is a free agent.