The deal, confirmed Tuesday by a person in baseball with knowledge of the contract, is pending a physical.
A person with knowledge of the contract said Willard would get a five-year deal and make about $1 million per season.
The signing of the 39-year-old Messier is imminent, and could be announced at the Garden as soon as tomorrow, but only if the Rangers and the Messiers could work out the final details of a contract last night, a person with knowledge of the contract negotiations said yesterday.
A person with knowledge of the contract negotiations said Manning would get a six-year extension worth $97.5 million, with $35 million guaranteed.
Murdoch denied knowledge of the contract, but William Shinker, a former publisher at HarperCollins, was clear about what Murdoch wanted.
The Knicks signed World Peace to a two-year deal worth up to $3.25 million, the second year a player option, according to a person with knowledge of the contract.
Random House would not disclose the amount Ms. Deen was to be paid, but a person with knowledge of the contract said it involved millions of dollars.
"Does that mean," asked a person with knowledge of the contract, "that when Leon Hess died all the Jets became free agents, too?" There is another twist to this situation.
The sides reached agreement on a five-year, $100 million deal, according to a person with direct knowledge of the contract.
Warner Brothers currently receives a fee of just under $4 million an episode for "West Wing," according to an executive with knowledge of the contract.
A person with direct knowledge of the contract said it was for five years at $650,000 a year.
