BRADENTON – Just because Brian Cashman and Fernando Cuza were a dozen miles apart and didn’t talk yesterday afternoon doesn’t mean Mariano Rivera’s contract extension was in peril.

When the Yankees and their closer agree on the particulars of a vested option for 2007, Rivera will sign a deal that will guarantee him about $21 million for two years with a chance to push it to the neighborhood of $32 million across three seasons.

Remaining on the table is how the option will vest. The Yankees want it to be tied to games Rivera appears in during the first two seasons of the deal. One minor point to be finalized is whether it will be for games finished or appearances.

Rivera, who was in the dark yesterday morning at Legends Field since he didn’t talk to Cuza or Cashman, was looking for a three-year pact starting in 2005 worth $33 million. Should the option vest, he would come close.

Cashman and Cuza met Friday at Legends Field. Cashman then tried to contact Cuza Friday night but could only leave a message. Since Cashman said yesterday the ball was in Cuza’s court, the message contained information about the options.

Cuza was out Friday night and by the time the Yankees’ completed a 2-1 loss to the Pirates yesterday at 4 p.m. Cuza hadn’t returned Cashman’s call.

“I haven’t talked to Fernando,” Cashman said in Bradenton, which is 12 miles north of Sarasota, where Cuza lives. “He was at a Little League game and I left a message.”

“The ball is in their court,” Cashman said. “I left him a message.”

Was Cashman relaying a counter-offer to Cuza?

“No, I called him and I am waiting for him to get back to me,” Cashman said.

Rivera, who will make $8.89 million in base salary this year, isn’t turned off by the Yankees wanting the final season to be a vesting option based on the number of appearances he makes in 2005 and 2006. Since Rivera started closing games in 1997 he has averaged 61.7 appearances a season. So it’s not out of the question the Yankees could live with an option that vests if Rivera makes 120 appearances in 2005 and 2006.