Cut the crap. Give me a drink.

LOS ANGELES -- Free agent infielder Nomar Garciaparra has agreed to terms to join the Dodgers, according to reports by ESPN and the New York Post.

 

A club official on Sunday would not confirm the report.

 

Garciaparra, 32, is expected to be the No. 5 hitter and first baseman in a dramatically rebuilt infield. New general manager Ned Colletti previously signed Garciaparra's former Boston Red Sox teammate, Bill Mueller, to play third base and former Atlanta Brave Rafael Furcal to bat leadoff and play shortstop, joining holdover All-Star second baseman and cleanup hitter Jeff Kent.

 

The Dodgers aggressively pursued Garciaparra for his bat, not his glove. The most critical current need, in the view of Colletti, is a fifth hitter to bat behind Kent, their only consistent run producer in 2005. Garciaparra, a five-time All-Star, is considered by Colletti to be the best available candidate.

 

According to the reports, Garciaparra agreed to a one-year contract worth a base salary of $6 million with incentives that could increase its value to $8 million. He earned $8.25 million in 2005 with the Chicago Cubs. The deal is contingent on Garciaparra passing a physical and, according to the ESPN report, finalizing "contract details."

 

For a Dodgers club that was decimated by injuries in 2005, Garciaparra would come at some medical risk. He was limited to 81 games in 2004 and 62 in 2005 because of Achilles tendon and groin muscle injuries, respectively, after playing in only 21 games in 2001 because of a wrist injury. But he's also won batting titles in 1999 and 2000 and driven in more than 95 runs in six different seasons.

 

Garciaparra has made three postseason appearances with the Red Sox and was the American League Rookie of the Year in 1997, when he won the Silver Slugger Award as the best-hitting shortstop in a league that included Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter. He was traded to the Chicago Cubs on July 31, 2004, missing out on Boston's World Series championship three months later.

 

Garciaparra would be reunited with new Dodgers manager Grady Little, his Boston manager in 2002 and 2003, and former Red Sox teammates Mueller and Derek Lowe. He might also contribute to a bottleneck of infielders if and when Cesar Izturis returns from major elbow surgery, estimated around midseason, so playing the outfield is a possibility.

 

In addition to the Dodgers, Garciaparra was pursued by the New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians and Houston Astros.

 

The Dodgers also are in pursuit of outfielders Kenny Lofton and Reggie Sanders to round out a renovated lineup.