11.   Landscaping contracts should be finalized by February, so lawn service can begin by the end of the month.

12.   Officials will now work to finalize a contract and close the deal.

13.   Russell rejoined the Rangers yesterday when his minor-league contract was finalized.

14.   Simms and Fishof believed they would finalize a contract when they flew to Cleveland and announce the signing at a news conference that day.

15.   Sun Alliance Group Plc said it has finalized a contract with International Business Machine Corp. to take over the operation and services of its mainframe computer.

16.   The contract will be finalized in coming weeks.

17.   Until a contract is finalized, of course, nothing is certain, as the Mo Vaughn negotiations are proving.

18.   When the SEC and ACC finalize their new bowl contracts in the coming months, the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl might greatly improve its matchup.

19.   Outfielder Henry Rodriguez and the Yankees are close to finalizing a contract, two baseball sources familiar with the negotiations said Monday on the condition they not be identified.

20.   A source said he feared the Japanese would try to finalize contracts with smaller, less experienced producers to set a benchmark price.