Byrd heading back to Cleveland

Free-agent pitcher Paul Byrd signed a two-year, $14.25 million contract Monday with the Cleveland Indians, the club’s first move in what could be a busy few days at the winter meetings in Dallas.

Byrd will make $7 million in 2006 and 2007, and the deal includes a club option for 2008 that could raise the value to $22 million over three seasons.

The 35-year-old Byrd went 12-11 with a 3.74 ERA in 31 starts for the Los Angeles Angels last season. He turned down a new deal with the Angels and offers from Baltimore, Kansas City and Texas to rejoin the Indians, who drafted him in 1991.

“We are excited to add an experienced starting pitcher to our rotation, one that represents the team we are trying to build on and off the field,” general manager Mark Shapiro said.

The right-hander plugs one off-season hole for the Indians, who won 93 games and were in the chase for a spot in the A.L. playoffs before a 1-6 collapse in the final week.

Byrd joins a solid rotation that includes C.C. Sabathia (15-10), Cliff Lee (18-5) and Jake Westbrook (15-15), but still needs another starter.

Cleveland could re-sign free agent Kevin Millwood or Scott Elarton. Millwood, though, is seeking a four- or five-year deal.

Elarton has said he would like to return to Cleveland, but Byrd might have taken his No. 5 spot.

The Indians have already lost set-up man Bobby Howry, who signed a three-year, $12 million deal with the Chicago Cubs. But a bigger priority is a closer, and the Indians appear to be targeting Trevor Hoffman, who has been offered a two-year deal to stay with the San Diego Padres.

Shapiro and manager Eric Wedge met with Hoffman at his home in Del Mar, Calif., over the weekend.

Also, the Indians have expressed interest in signing free agent Nomar Garciaparra. The club has discussed using Garciaparra as a utility player at first base, third base and right field.

Byrd and Shapiro broke in with the Indians at roughly the same time, and have remained friends since the early 1990s.

Cleveland selected Byrd in the fourth round in 1991, and he spent four seasons in the club’s minor league system before being traded to the New York Mets in 1995.

Byrd had his best season in 2002, going 17-11 with a 3.90 ERA for the Royals.

He brings the Indians some postseason experience. Byrd made two starts in the A.L. Championship Series, beating eventual World Series champion Chicago White Sox in Game 1.

Mets’ trade for Lo Duca official

Growing up in the Phoenix area, Paul Lo Duca didn’t have a local major league team. So he rooted for the New York Mets, who played nearest to his Brooklyn birthplace, and he vividly remembers the final out of the team’s last World Series title.

“When Jesse Orosco threw up his glove in ‘86, I was jumping up and down on my bed,” Lo Duca said Monday after the Mets acquired him from the cost-cutting Florida Marlins.

Florida gets two players to be named from the Mets, and the players won’t be announced until after Thursday’s winter meeting draft. Officials familiar with the trade have identified one as 19-year-old right-hander Gaby Hernandez.

“I think it would be a disappointment if we didn’t win the N.L. East,” Lo Duca said.

Lo Duca is owed $6.25 million in each of the next two seasons, which will be paid by the Mets, and Florida remains responsible for the final $1 million of his signing bonus, which is due to be paid Nov. 30, 2008.

Minaya envisions the three-time All-Star as a No. 2 hitter. Lo Duca, who turns 34 in April, batted .283 last season with six homers and 57 RBIs.

“He makes contact. We wanted to get more guys to make contract. We struck out too much last year,” Minaya said. “This guy’s a gamer. This guy’s a guy that is going to give you that leadership quality, not only on the field but also in the clubhouse.”