Re-signing Renteria, 29, is expected to be one of the Cardinals' top priorities. He batted .287 with 10 home runs and 72 RBI this season, a dropoff from 2003 when he hit .330 with 100 RBI.

CUBS: Nomar Garciaparra filed for free agency, starting the bidding process for the All-Star shortstop.

Garciaparra has said he'd consider returning to Chicago, and general manager Jim Hendry has spoken with his agent, Arn Tellem. But Garciaparra also wants to test the free agent market for the first time in his career.

MARLINS: New ballpark or not, Mike Lowell is staying with the Marlins.

Lowell, who could have opted out of his contract because the team hasn't secured new stadium financing, agreed Friday to a revised deal in which the team guarantees the remaining $25.5 million on his contract.

"I was hopeful that things would work out, because I want to be a Florida Marlin," said Lowell, 30, a three-time All-Star third baseman who hit .293 with 27 home runs and 85 RBI last season.

Florida has made strides toward securing that new ballpark, a 38,000-seat, retractable-roof facility that would be built adjacent to the Orange Bowl at an estimated cost of $420 million.

ROCKIES: Third baseman Vinny Castilla declined a $2.1 million mutual option with Colorado for next season and filed for free agency.

Castilla, 37, led the NL with 131 RBI and hit 35 homers.

BRAVES: Pitcher Russ Ortiz and 46-year-old first baseman Julio Franco filed for free agency.

Ortiz went 15-8 with a 3.28 ERA and started Atlanta's first game of the playoffs.

Franco batted .309 with six homers and 57 RBI.

METS: The commissioner's office will wait until after a government investigation to examine whether there has been a relationship between reliever John Franco and alleged mobsters.

Franco has given people associated with the Bonanno crime family free tickets for Mets games and passes to visit him in the clubhouse, ganglandnews.com reported Thursday. Prosecutors might ask Franco to testify in the trial of Vito Rizzuto.

Return to Reds front page...