The Associated Press

CLEVELAND - Indians shortstop Omar Vizquel failed a physical in Seattle on Tuesday and will not be traded back to the Mariners for Carlos Guillen.

The teams had agreed on a deal to swap the shortstops contingent on Vizquel passing medical tests. The 36-year-old had two surgeries on his right knee last season.

But after undergoing a physical and being put through agility drills at Safeco Field by the Mariners, Vizquel was informed that the trade was off.

"They called me about an hour ago and told me that I didn't pass the test on my knee," Vizquel told MLB.com Tuesday night. "It was kind of a shock. I was really looking forward to coming back and playing for the Mariners."

Vizquel played five seasons for Seattle before being traded to Cleveland in 1993.

Seattle had been interested in acquiring Vizquel after the team failed to sign free agent Miguel Tejada, who agreed to a $72 million, six-year deal with Baltimore.

Guillen agreed to a $2.5 million, one-year contract with Seattle on Sunday. Vizquel, who will make $6 million next season, played in just 64 games in 2003, his fewest since 1988.

The Indians still have a huge hole up the middle. The club has been trying to sign a second baseman and had offered free agent Todd Walker a $2.4 million, one-year deal. But Indians general manager Mark Shapiro withdrew the offer Tuesday and said the club was preparing to make another to an unspecified player.

RODRIGUEZ MEETING: Alex Rod-

riguez and Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein met with an official from the baseball players' union to try to move a blockbuster deal for the AL MVP closer to fruition. A proposed trade would send Rodriguez from Texas to Boston for Manny Ramirez.

Gene Orza, the union's No. 2 official, confirmed that the meeting took place but would not comment on its substance. The union would get involved if there were a renegotiation of the record $252 million, 10-year contract Rodriguez signed three years ago; any renegotiation would have to add some benefit for the player, according to baseball's labor contract.

RED SOX: Infielder Mark Bellhorn was acquired from Colorado for a player to be announced.

Bellhorn, 29, is a career .230 hitter with 36 homers and 106 RBI in 371 games with Oakland, the Chicago Cubs and Colorado.

CARDINALS: Reggie Sanders joined his seventh team in seven seasons in agreeing to a $6 million, two-year contract with St. Louis. Sanders, 36, hit .285 last season for the Pirates with a team-leading 31 homers and 87 RBI. He also has played with the Giants, Diamondbacks, Braves, Padres and Reds.

ANGELS: Left fielder Jose Guillen said he has agreed to a two-year contract worth about $6 million with Anaheim. He batted .265 in 45 games with the A's last season. Angels vice president Tim Mead said the team wasn't prepared to announce a deal, which is expected to be completed once Guillen passes a physical.

INDIANS: Right-hander Jake Westbrook agreed to a $925,000, one-year contract. He was 7-10 with a 4.33 ERA last season, with a career-high 34 appearances, including 22 starts.

ATHLETICS: Oakland traded catcher Michael Barrett to the Chicago Cubs, a day after acquiring him from Montreal, and will receive a player to be announced. Barrett hit .208 with 10 home runs and 30 RBI in 70 games with the Expos last year.

The A's agreed to a $3.65 million, two-year deal with reliever Ricardo Rincon. The 33-year-old left-hander was 8-4 with a 3.25 ERA in 64 relief appearances last season.

YANKEES: The team made plans to introduce Gary Sheffield at a news conference today. Sheffield's $39 million, three-year contract, which includes $13.5 million in deferred money, was being finalized for lawyers for the team and the outfielder Tuesday.

• The Yankees completed a trade for pitcher Javier Vazquez when first baseman Nick Johnson passed his physical for the Expos. New York sent Johnson, outfielder Juan Rivera and left-hander Randy Choate to Montreal.