Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Joe Beimel and Tampa Bay backup catcher Josh Paul became the first two players to go to salary arbitration hearings this year.

Paul asked arbitrators Richard Bloch, Robert Bailey and Christine Knowlton for a raise from $475,000 to $940,000. The Devil Rays argued for $625,000 during yesterday morning's hearing in Phoenix.

Paul hit .260 with one homer and eight RBIs in 146 games last season.

During the afternoon hearing, Beimel, a former Pirates and Duquesne University pitcher, asked arbitrators Stephen Goldberg, Elizabeth Neumeier and John Sands for a raise from $425,000 to $1.25 million. The Dodgers countered at $912,500.

A left-hander who turns 30 in April, Beimel was 2-1 with a 2.96 ERA and two saves in 62 appearances last year.

Decisions on the cases are expected this weekend. Owners won four of six cases last year and lead players, 269-200, since arbitration began in 1974.

Twelve players among the 106 who filed last month remain scheduled for hearings, which run through Feb. 20, a group that includes Florida third baseman Miguel Cabrera, Washington closer Chad Cordero, Minnesota catcher Joe Mauer and Chicago Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano.

Orioles

Center fielder Corey Patterson avoided arbitration with the Baltimore Orioles, agreeing to a $4.3 million, one-year contract. Patterson, 27, had a career-high 45 stolen bases last season and batted .276. He had 16 homers, 53 RBIs and scored 75 runs.

Mets

Chan Ho Park reached a preliminary agreement with the New York Mets on a $600,000, one-year contract. A 33-year-old right-hander, Park was 7-7 with a 4.81 ERA in 21 starts and three relief appearances last season for the San Diego Padres.

Elsewhere

Jeff Fassero, a 44-year-old left-hander, is retiring from baseball after 16 major-league seasons. Cut by the San Francisco Giants in May, he worked out for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Feb. 2, but was not offered a contract. He finished 121-124 with a 4.11 ERA and 25 saves in 242 starts and 478 relief appearances for Montreal, Seattle, Texas, Boston, the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis, Colorado, Arizona and San Francisco. ... The commissioner's office is telling teams for the first time that baseballs must be stored at a uniform temperature after they are delivered from the manufacturer. "The specifications that Rawlings recommends are a 70 degree temperature and 50 percent humidity," baseball senior vice president Joe Garagiola Jr. said. ... Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz is getting a divorce. Smoltz and his wife, Dyan, mutually agreed to split after some 16 years of marriage. They have four school-age children, a son and three daughters. ... Yankees World Series star Hank Bauer dies at 84.