BASEBALL NOTEBOOK Renteria, Bosox reach deal; Sexson goes home to M's

All-Star shortstop Edgar Renteria has agreed in principle to afour-year, $40 million contract with the Boston Red Sox, who beat hisSt. Louis Cardinals in the World Series when he grounded to thepitcher for the final out.

The agreement, which contains a team option for 2009, wasconfirmed Wednesday by a baseball official, speaking on condition ofanonymity. Renteria must pass a physical, expected to be givenFriday, for the deal to be finalized.

A Red Sox spokesman declined to comment, but Renteria's brotherEdison told the Associated Press that an agreement on the terms wasreached Tuesday night.

"We will travel to Boston later this week to define the details,"he said. "Edgar is very happy. The conditions are excellent."

"An All-Star and Gold Glove infielder would be a great addition tothis or any other team," Red Sox president Larry Lucchino said, notspecifying a player, at a news conference to announce a one-year, $1million agreement with pitcher John Halama.

HOMECOMING FOR SEXSON: The Seattle Mariners added power to one ofthe weakest lineups in baseball, agreeing to a four-year, $50millioncontract with free-agent first baseman Richie Sexson.

"I am very excited about coming home to play for the Mariners,"said Sexson, who is from Brush Prairie, Wash. "My preference allalong was to sign with Seattle and to return to the Northwest."

Sexson, a career .271 hitter, is coming off an injury-shortenedseason with the Diamondbacks. He hurt his left shoulder twice and didnot play after May, batting .233 with nine homers and 23 RBI.

Still, his proven power made him an attractive free agent. Sexson,who turns 30 on Dec. 29, hit 45 homers for the Brewers in 2001 and2003, and he has four career 100-RBI seasons.

MARTINEZ MAKES IT OFFICIAL: Pedro Martinez passed his physical,and the New York Mets finalized their four-year, $53 million contractwith the pitcher they hope will take them to the postseason.

The Mets scheduled a news conference for today at Shea Stadium tointroduce Martinez, who turned down a three-year, $40.5 million offerfrom the Red Sox.

OTHER MOVES: Shortstop Craig Counsell returned to the ArizonaDiamondbacks, agreeing to a two-year, $3.1 million contract.

Arizona traded Counsell after the 2003 season to the MilwaukeeBrewers, who declined a $4.25 million option on Counsell.

*Right-handers David Weathers and Ben Weber agreed to one-yearcontracts with the Cincinnati Reds. Weathers and Weber, both 35, joina bullpen that had a 5.12 ERA last season, second-worst in the majorsahead of only Colorado.

*The Brewers traded infielder Keith Ginter to the OaklandAthletics for right-handed pitcher Justin Lehr and minor-leagueoutfielder Nelson Cruz.

AP