ARLINGTON, Texas -- With their expected closer hurt, the future stopper still raw and last season's save leader released, the Texas Rangers had a glaring weakness to fill.

	Urbina

They plugged the hole Sunday with Ugueth Urbina, a two-time All-Star whose 40 saves for Boston last season tied for third-best in the American League. He signed a one-year deal for $4 million with another $500,000 deferred.

"He understands what's expected of him,'' Texas manager Buck Showalter said. "He knows his role and what it takes to be successful. It's up to us now to give him some opportunities to have some games to close.''

Urbina went 1-6 with a 3.00 ERA last season. He had 19 straight saves from April 12-July 3, and blew only six chances all season.

The 28-year-old right-hander held batters to a .202 average, sixth-lowest in the league, and his 10.65 strikeouts per nine innings was the fourth-best among relievers.

"I'm looking forward to playing with guys like Alex Rodriguez, Rafael Palmeiro, and Juan Gonzalez,'' Urbina said in a statement released by the team. "I expect to get a lot of saves, and I think I'll be a big help not only to the bullpen, but also to the whole pitching staff. My goal is to help the Rangers turn things around in 2003.''

The Rangers had been negotiating with him for nearly two months. Talks intensified after Boston declined to offer him arbitration, which meant Texas would not lose a draft pick for signing him.

Urbina is taking a pay cut from the $6.7 million he made last season, a sign of the tight market across baseball. By not taking on additional years, Urbina has a chance to try getting more next winter.

The short deal works for the Rangers, too, because Jeff Zimmerman could be recovered from arm trouble by 2004, or Francisco Cordero could be ready to take over as closer by then.

General manager John Hart said there's still a chance Urbina will be more than a stopgap answer.

"We have talked about an extension,'' Hart said. "We knew the environment wasn't exactly right for a multiyear deal. That doesn't mean we won't. These are new and different times out there.''

Zimmerman was supposed to solidify the closer's job when he signed a $10 million, three-year deal in January, but he didn't throw a pitch last season. Elbow problems are expected to keep him out until the second half of the season.

Cordero had 10 saves, second on the team to Hideki Irabu's 16. Irabu was released in November and has since returned to Japan.

Hart said the team is hoping Urbina "is going to be able to be a good mentor'' for Cordero, who likely will be the primary setup man. He said Urbina, who was in his native Venezuela, was very interested in becoming a Ranger.

Urbina came up with Montreal and became a full-time closer 1997. He led the NL with 41 saves in 1999, then elbow surgery limited him to 13 games in 2000. He was traded to Boston in 2001.

Hart said adding a closer fills the team's top three needs of the season. The others were getting Einar Diaz from Cleveland to replace Ivan Rodriguez at catcher, and signing Doug Glanville to challenge Carl Everett for the center field job.

"We're starting to look like we can be competitive,'' pitching coach Orel Hershiser said.

Hart said the next move would probably involve adding more pitching. Although Texas is thin on lefty relievers, he said he's more interested in durable arms that guys who would be used situationally.