Nov. 11

TUCSON, Ariz. -- The managerial searches of the Giants, Mariners and Cubs proceed this week, but only one will play out in Arizona.

Cubs president Andy MacPhail and general manager Jim Hendry plan to meet Monday with Dusty Baker and his agent, Jeff Moorad, in Mesa, near Phoenix.

"We hope that we can get something resolved quickly," Hendry said. "He knows where we're coming from. We're not going to insult him. We want him, and we're prepared to do what we have to do to get him"

Seattle GM Pat Gillick has remained behind to interview the Mariners' final four candidates -- Bob Melvin, Buddy Bell, Sam Perlozzo and Jim Riggleman -- while Giants GM Brian Sabean remains in San Francisco to conduct that club's search.

Beane counting
One day after the Red Sox reached an agreement with Billy Beane, only to have Beane change his mind and remain Oakland's GM, ownership plans to meet to decide where it next turns.

For three months, John Henry, Larry Lucchino and Tom Werner had their eyes set on Beane, and the sides had agreed on a five-year deal worth more than $2.5 million per year. Compensation had not yet been agreed upon by Beane and Paul DePodesta, who would have been Beane's successor with the A's, but the parameters had been met.

Boston would have taken the contract of reliever Jim Mecir. And while the A's were asking for two of Boston's four best positional prospects -- second baseman Freddy Sanchez, shortstop Henly Ramirez, third baseman Kevin Youklis and catcher Kelly Shoppach -- there seemed to be a meeting of the minds that the A's would settle for one and work out an agreement on a second player. Reports that Trot Nixon was involved were not correct.

Elsewhere ...