"We made contract offers to all of them," Towers said, including a six-year, $60 million offer to Brown.

He and his rocket scientist of an agent had recently turned down a six-year offer from the Dodgers worth more than $80 million.

The center said he turned down a six-year offer from Sacramento worth about $24 million.

Anderson has turned down a six-year, $40 million offer from the club, but that was before he switched agents.

The Mets extended a six-year, $78 million offer, a package worth $15 million more than any deal given to a position player.

That six-year, $84 million offer the Dodgers made is looking better and better.

Though they remain in front with their six-year offer of $72 million and indications that they will go higher, they are expected to have competition.

To hardly anyone's surprise, Martin yesterday accepted the Jets' six-year offer that could be worth $36 million.

For one thing, he can be a free agent at the end of the season and already had rejected a six-year, $84 million offer from the Dodgers.

Piazza, 29, rejected their six-year offer for between $80 million and $85 million.