Renteria Ready To Pull His Sox On
Expected to be introduced today
By Jeff Horrigan
December 17, 2004
The 17-month nightmare of attempting to re-sign Nomar Garciaparra
will
officially become a distant memory for the Red Sox today, when they
introduce
Edgar Renteria as their new shortstop at a press conference at Fenway Park.
An embittered Garciaparra thwarted four-year contract offers of
$60 million
and $48 million before being traded to the Chicago Cubs on July 31, but
Renteria, who is universally recognized as the best shortstop on the
free agent
market, jumped at the Sox' four-year, $40 million deal.
The four-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner was due to
fly into
town from Colombia last night and undergo a physical examination this
morning.
He becomes the fourth major free agent to sign with the revamped World
Series
champions, joining pitchers David Wells, Matt Mantei and John Halama.
The St. Louis Cardinals, who were swept by the Sox in the World
Series, upped
their offer from $32 million to $36 million on Tuesday, but the flashy
shortstop
made it clear he wasn't going to offer his former team a ``hometown
discount.''
Manager Tony La Russa told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he was
disappointed
Renteria (who was paid $7.25 million in 2004) departed for just $1
million more
per season.
``I think we went beyond reasonable for us,'' La Russa said.
``There is a
figure that doesn't make sense for us to pay . . . I thought $8 million
was at
the top of where we should be. He indicated he wanted to stay. It still
wasn't
enough.''
Renteria's arrival probably ends the Sox' tepid pursuit of Pokey
Reese, Barry
Larkin and Julio Lugo, although general manager Theo Epstein is still
searching
for a backup shortstop.
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