Five players avoided hearings by agreeing to one-year contracts, leaving 123 remaining in salary arbitration.

Chris Bosio, Randy Myers, Jim Gott, Tom Pagnozzi and Gary Varsho settled with their teams Wednesday and free agent right-hander Scott Bankhead signed with the Cincinnati Reds.Meanwhile, Bert Blyleven agreed to a minor league contract with the California Angels. Blyleven, who didn't pitch last season and became a free agent after the World Series, can't be brought up to the majors until May 1 because he signed after the Jan. 8 deadline. If he makes the Angels roster, he would get a $300,000 salary and the chance to earn $700,000 in performance bonuses.

The New York Mets acquired left-handed reliever Paul Gibson from Detroit along with minor league starter Randy Marshall for reserve outfielder Mark Carreon and pitcher Tony Castillo. Gibson, 32, was 5-7 with eight saves and a 4.59 ERA in 96 innings last year while Carreon, 28, hit .260 last season with four home runs and 21 RBIs.

Bankhead, 28, became a free agent along with Rob Murphy on Dec. 20 when Seattle declined to offer 1992 contracts. The Mariners cited his 1991 salary of $755,000 and the possibility that he would vastly increase it in arbitration.

Instead, Bankhead gets $400,000 guaranteed from the Reds and the chance to earn another $400,000 in bonuses based on roster time. He was on the disabled list four times in the last two seasons because of a sore right shoulder and was 3-6 last season with a 4.90 ERA in nine starts and eight relief appearances.

Bosio and Gott split the difference in their arbitration cases. Bosio, who made $915,000, will get $2,287,000, halfway between his request for $2,575,000 in arbitration and Milwaukee's offer of $2 million. He can earn a $100,000 bonus if he makes 33 starts or pitches in 220 innings.

Gott, who made $1,725,000 in 1991, will get $2,125,000, the midpoint between his request for $2.4 million and the team's offer of $1.85 million. The Dodgers are also close to a midpoint deal at $2,575,000 with reliever Jay Howell.

Myers, 29, was among six Padres who had filed for arbitration. He was acquired last month in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds for Bip Roberts.

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The left-hander was 6-13 overall last year. He was 2-6 with a 3.45 ERA in 12 starts and 4-7 with a 3.65 ERA and six saves in 46 relief appearances. Term were not immediately available.

Myers had asked for $2.7 million in arbitration and was offered $2.05 million.

Pagnozzi and the St. Louis Cardinals also settled at the midpoint. The catcher, who made $345,000 in 1991, will get $967,500, halfway between his request for $1.07 million and the Cardinals' offer of $865,000.

Varsho and the Pittsburgh Pirates also settled. The outfielder, who made $155,000 last year, will get $332,500 plus the chance to earn another $52,500 in performance bonuses. He had asked for $400,000 and the team had offered $275,000.

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