Talks On Hold
By Joe Strauss Of The Post-Dispatch
May 23, 2004
General manager Walt Jocketty said Saturday nothing has changed since spring training regarding the club's stance toward pending free agents Matt Morris and Edgar Renteria. As of now, Jocketty expects negotiations to remain on hold until after the season or until either player approaches the club about jump-starting talks.
"Both of them let it be known they wanted to wait," Jocketty said.
Jocketty said he last discussed a contract extension with Renteria's agent, Jeff Lane, in spring training but believed Lane was unimpressed with the terms. Morris rejected a two-year, $15.5 million bid in January and told the club he prefers to explore free agency. Morris represents himself in contract discussions, just as he did when signing a three-year extension after his 22-win season in 2001.
Morris is making a team-high $12.5 million this season in the final installment of that three-year deal. Renteria is due $7.25 million. Renteria recently expressed surprise that the Cardinals had not reached agreement with him on a deal after he batted .330 with 13 home runs and 100 RBIs while winning his second Gold Glove last season. General partner Bill DeWitt Jr. has said repeatedly that retaining Renteria is a priority despite the club projecting a 2005 payroll roughly equal to this season's $84 million.
Morris and Renteria represent the team's most challenging cases but aren't alone as pending free agents. Starting pitcher Woody Williams and catcher Mike Matheny are also among those whose contracts expire after the season. Jocketty was more circumspect regarding Matheny, whose value could be affected by the progress of top prospect Yadier Molina.
"It's not always a matter of who you want to sign," Jocketty said. "It's become a matter of how much money you have available to sign players."
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