The Dodgers have had discussions with the Boston Red Sox the last two days about obtaining starting pitcher David Wells, but two sources said a deal is not imminent because the asking price has been too high. The Red Sox want relief pitcher Yhency Brazoban and a top prospect in return, but the Dodgers are reluctant to part with any of the minor league standouts expected to break into the big leagues by 2007. Wells has appeal because he has one year left on a contract that calls for a base salary of only $2.5 million. Incentives based on innings pitched could hike the total to $7.5 million. Wells, 41, was 15-7 in 184 innings last season. Boston has also discussed a three-way trade with San Diego and Tampa Bay that would involve Wells going to the Padres and Devil Ray shortstop Julio Lugo going to the Red Sox.

Brett Tomko has agreed to a two-year deal worth $8.7 million to play for the Los Angeles Dodger. Tomko is a Los Angeles native and grew up only 3 miles from Dodger stadium. "He gave me a chance in San Francisco, to come there, when I didn't have a lot on the table," Tomko said Thursday after agreeing to an $8.7 million, two-year contract with Los Angeles. "Now it's good to come to Los Angeles and be a part of what he's trying to do." "We think Brett is a huge plus," Dodger GM Ned Colletti said. "He's been so durable, probably a 200-inning guy. Having starters who are durable gives us more options in the rotation, in the bullpen."

Brett Tomko joins a staff that also includes Derek Lowe, Brad Penny and Odalis Perez. However, his signing does not mean the Dodgers have ruled out re-signing free agent Jeff Weaver, their best pitcher last year. "This does not close the door on Jeff," said Colletti, who remains in contact with Weaver's agent, Scott Boras. Nevertheless, Colletti is actively trying to add a fifth starter to the staff, and hasn't ruled out a trade if it looks like Weaver is headed elsewhere. Colletti is mulling trade options with at least three other teams for a starting pitcher, and is willing to dip into the Dodgers' deep farm system to close the right deal. "I'm not afraid to go into the trade market," Colletti said.

Brett Tomko, whose two-year tenure with the Giants ended in an 8-15 season in 2005, has agreed to a two-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers worth about $8.5 million, The Chronicle has learned. The deal could be announced today if Tomko passes a physical. Tomko, who turns 33 on April 7, is the latest former Giant to ride the Ned Colletti pipeline to Dodger Stadium. The new Los Angeles GM also has acquired Bill Mueller and Kenny Lofton. The Giants parted ways with Tomko on Dec. 7, declining to offer him arbitration.He now could face the Giants five or six times in 2006. Some of his best games as a Giant were pitched at Dodger Stadium.

Brett Tomko will pitch in the NL West next season, but is moving from the San Francisco Giants to the rival Los Angeles Dodgers. The Los Angeles Times reported Thursday that the pitcher has agreed to a two-year, $8.7 million contract. The right-hander was 8-15 with a 4.48 ERA last season in 33 appearances. The 32-year-old is scheduled to take a physical Thursday, the paper reported. He is 81-73 in nine seasons in the majors.

The Dodgers appear to be closing in on agreements with free agents Reggie Sanders and Lofton. If both veterans sign with the club, Sanders will play left and Lofton center, with J.D. Drew in right. The Dodgers could face a logjam when shortstop Cesar Izturis, who is expected to move to second base, returns sometime around the All-Star break. At that point, Garciaparra possibly would move to left field, with Jeff Kent shifting from second to first. Sanders, who lives in Scottsdale, Ariz., has two-year offers on the table from a handful of clubs, including the Dodgers. He prefers to play for a National League team on the West Coast, and the Dodgers are the only suitors that fit that description. Lofton, who recently moved from Tucson, Ariz., to Santa Monica, has narrowed his choices to Arizona and the Dodgers, both of whom are offering one-year deals.

A phone call from Joe Torre and a chance to re- ignite a career in New York wasn?t enough to entice Nomar Garciaparra to join the Yankees. Last night, the former Red Sox shortstop agreed in principle to a one-year deal with the Dodgers worth $6 million in base salary. The 32-year-old will play first base. According to a plate-appearance incentive, Garciaparra could earn more than $8 million next year. He made $8.25 million last year for the Cubs when he played in only 62 games due to a severe left-groin injury. According to sources, agent Arn Tellem in formed the Yankees, Astros and Indians last night that Garciaparra wasn?t going to be joining them. Torre called Garcia parra last week to make sure he knew the Yankees were interested. However, Garciaparra had concerns about the New York media after an up-and-down relationship with the Boston media. Garciaparra?s decision to play in Los Angeles, where he has a home and will be reunited with former Red Sox manager Grady Little and third baseman Bill Mueller, is a blow to the Yankees. New York believed he was a good fit to its lineup since the Yankees would have played him at first base and moved Jason Giambi to DH.

In what might have been the strongest indication yet that he is beginning to focus his attention on the Dodgers, free-agent shortstop Nomar Garciaparra spent a second consecutive day at Dodger Stadium on Friday. This time, he was joined by his wife, former U.S. national soccer star Mia Hamm. Garciaparra, who will play either first base or left field if he signs with the Dodgers, also is being pursued by Cleveland, Houston and the New York Yankees. But the Indians want him to play right field, a move for which he is believed to have some reluctance, and the Yankees probably would use him on a part-time basis. Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said Garciaparra seems willing to play either position the Dodgers have in mind for him. "We talked about it some," Colletti said. "We probably spent (a total of) three to four hours together the last couple of days, and that was a discussion point (Thursday). I gave him some of my thoughts on it, and he gave me some of his thoughts. "I don't think our thoughts were that far off. He is really amenable to doing whatever we need him to do. He just wants to know, as most players do, how to prepare." The first step in that preparation would be to actually sign a contract, and it isn't clear how close Garciaparra is to doing that. Colletti said he has been given no timetable for a decision. A phone message left by the Daily News at the office of Arn Tellem, Garciaparra's Los Angeles-based agent, went unreturned. Garciaparra and Hamm live in Manhattan Beach, which could give the Dodgers an advantage over the other three clubs. Hamm also has a home in Austin, Texas, which could weigh in the Astros' favor, but they still hadn't made a formal offer to Garciaparra as of Thursday.

Nomar Garciaparra met with Los Angeles Dodgers executives Thursday and Friday, and is expected to decide soon on his future. The 32-year-old Garciaparra also is considering the New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians and Houston Astros, but the Dodgers might have an advantage because Garciaparra and his wife, former soccer star Mia Hamm, live in suburban Manhattan Beach. "Nomar continues to talk with players, friends and family members," Garciaparra's agent, Arn Tellem, said in an e-mail Friday. "He is weighing his options carefully and while he has no plans on making a decision today, he intends to do so in the near future."

Nomar Garciaparra is getting closer to deciding where he is going to play next year. "Nomar is very pleased to have several attractive options for next season," agent Arn Tellem said yesterday. "He is weighing all of them carefully and hopes to make the best decision for him and his family in the very near future." Garciaparra will likely make that decision early next week. The Yankees would like Garciaparra, 32, to play first base and DH. The Indians and Astros are looking at him as an outfielder and the Dodgers view him as a first base option. Garciaparra, who has a home in Manhattan Beach, Calif., met with Dodger brass for several hours yesterday. According to one of the teams interested, Garciaparra is looking for a base salary of $6 million with incentives after making $8.25 million last year with the Cubs when he was limited to 62 games because of a groin injury. "He is an offensive orientated free agent and we have interest," Astro GM Tim Purpura said via phone from Houston.