1 Year Contract

Wide receiver Art Monk finally had to concede yesterday that he had run out of options.Monk, the 35-year-old wide receiver who was upset after the Washington Redskins demoted him and refused to offer him a salary increase, signed a one-year deal for the same $1.1 million he made last year.The Redskins tossed in a hefty incentive package if he plays a lot, but they've told him that Ricky Sanders, Desmond Howard and Tim McGee will start camp ahead of him. He caught 46 passes last year and didn't get an offer from any other team even though he was a free agent.

Members of two Annapolis municipal unions overwhelmingly approved new one-year contracts last night that give 2 percent pay raises to police officers and blue-collar workers.Both unions will see the increase in their paychecks starting July 1 even though the city council has yet to approve both contracts.Under their contract, police officers will contribute 1 percent less to their pensions, similar to a provision in the pact that firefighters approved earlier this week. The city will assume the 1 percent.

The Orioles reached agreement with Mark Williamson yesterday on a contract for this season.The veteran reliever, who appeared in only 12 games last season because of elbow problems that required arthroscopic surgery, signed a one-year contract for $350,000 plus incentives.Williamson, who earned $900,000 last year, was not offered a contract last month and had become a free agent."There was some interest from three West Coast clubs," said his agent, Ted Updike, "but Mark let it be known from the start that his preference was to stay in Baltimore.

Midfielder Rod Castro looked at the Baltimore Blast roster yesterday after signing with the team and said, "I'm going to be one of the seasoned veterans on this club."Castro, 26, agreed to a one-year contract. He comes to Baltimore after playing two years for the San Diego Sockers."This will be a new beginning for me and most of the guys on the team," said Castro, who scored 24 goals and had 15 assists last season. "I was a little surprised when I heard about the players that weren't coming back to Baltimore.

Baltimore County firefighters overwhelmingly ratified a one-year labor agreement last night that will improve pension benefits and some working conditions, according to union officials. The contract will not increase wages of the county's 1,000 firefighters and paramedics or cost-of-living adjustments, although base salaries will rise in a trade-off that eliminates other payments they receive. County Executive James T. Smith Jr. had said in his budget address last month that the county couldn't afford pay raises for any employees this year.

Ben McDonald had a much easier time in his latest round of negotiations with the Orioles than he did in his first. And this time around, he got more money for one year than he did before for three.The club announced yesterday that it has signed the big right-hander to a one-year contract worth $1.225 million, plus incentives.When they drafted McDonald in 1989, it took the Orioles almost three months to sign the No. 1 pick in the draft. That was a three-year deal, including a signing bonus, that was worth close to $1 million.

Left-hander Jamie Moyer salvaged his career with a solid season in the Orioles' starting rotation last year, and yesterday he was rewarded with a new one-year contract that also calls for an option on the 1995 season.Moyer, 31, was called up to the major-league club after winning six straight decisions for the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings. That performance, combined with his 12 victories for the Orioles, made him the winningest pitcher in the organization."If he pitches anywhere close to the way he did for us last year, he's going to be a very important part of our ballclub," manager Johnny Oates said.

NEW YORK - Roger Clemens decided against retirement - again - and the Houston Astros certainly made it worth his while to stick around for one more season. Clemens and the Astros avoided an arbitration hearing yesterday by agreeing to a one-year, $18 million contract, a record salary for a pitcher. The seven-time Cy Young Award winner eclipsed the mark held by the New York Mets' Pedro Martinez, who earned $17.5 million last year in his final season with the Boston Red Sox. "I'm ready for the challenge," Clemens said at a news conference in Houston.

In the first major showdown between Mayor Martin O'Malley and the city work force, it appeared as if the workers blinked first. But as union officials, workers and observers this week assessed the damage, some say O'Malley's first union scuffle was more a draw than a victory. The 5,000 members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 44 settled this week for a 2.25 percent pay raise - far less than the 10 percent they had sought - and agreed to start paying more for their prescription drugs.