NEW YORK -- All-Star shortstop Edgar Renteria has agreed in
principle to a $40 million, four-year contract with the Boston Red Sox, who beat his St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series when he grounded to the pitcher for the final out.
The agreement contains a team option for 2009. Renteria must pass a physical, which is expected to be given Friday, for the deal to be finalized.
Boston spokesman Glenn Geffner declined comment.
Renteria's brother Edison told the AP that an agreement on the
terms was reached Tuesday night.
"We will travel to Boston later this week to define the details
of the four-year contract," he said in a telephone interview from
Barranquilla, Colombia. "Edgar is very happy. The conditions are
excellent."
"An All-Star and Gold Glove infielder would be a great addition
to this or any other team," Red Sox president Larry Lucchino said,
not specifying a player, at a news conference to announce a $1
million, one-year agreement with pitcher John Halama.
The deal was first reported by The Boston Globe, which quoted
the shortstop in a story posted on its Web site Wednesday.
"I like to play on a winning team like Boston, St. Louis or any
team that has the opportunity to win," the paper quoted him as
saying. His decision came down to the two pennant winners, and he
said the Red Sox were "more interested in my playing for them."
The Red Sox intensified their efforts to sign Renteria after
three-time Cy Young winner Pedro Martinez passed on Boston's
three-year, $40.5 million offer and said he would sign with the Mets.
Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said at the winter meetings
that Martinez would not necessarily be replaced by an equally
pricey pitcher. Instead, money set aside for him or catcher Jason Varitek -- a free agent who is expected to could command $50 million
over five years -- might instead be spent on upgrading at other
positions.
"We will redeploy the money that would've been spent,"
Lucchino said after Martinez chose the Mets. "That's a
considerable amount of resources to redeploy."
Renteria was a four-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner
with a .289 career average in six years with the St. Louis
Cardinals. He made the final out in Boston's sweep of the
Cardinals, grounding out to pitcher Keith Foulke to give the Red
Sox their first title since 1918.
The Red Sox had been worrying about a shortstop since last
winter, when they tried to trade five-time All-Star Nomar Garciaparra before he entered the last year of his contract. The
deal for then-AL MVP Alex Rodriguez fell through, but Garciaparra
was so wounded by the trade talks that his attitude suffered and
Boston sent him to the Chicago Cubs at the trading deadline.
The Red Sox got shortstop Orlando Cabrera, along with first
baseman Doug Mientkiewicz, in return, improving the defense that
led the AL in unearned runs and sparking Boston to a wild-card
berth.
Cabrera, who is also Colombian, batted .294 with six homers and
31 RBI with the Red Sox. He hit .288 and played errorless ball in
the postseason as Boston won its first World Series since 1918.
The Cardinals have shown a lot of interest this offseason in
signing Cabrera, a free agent.