01:00 AM EDT on Saturday, October 30, 2004

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

Catcher Paul Bako, outfielder Tom Goodwin and outfielder Ben Grieve also filed for free agency yesterday.

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

Until he was traded to the Cubs on July 31 as part of a four-team trade, Garciaparra had spent his entire career -- 8 1/2 years -- with the Boston Red Sox.

"I'm going to experience something I never experienced in the offseason," Garciaparra said on the last day of the season. "Like I said, this is one of the places I'll consider. No question."

But there likely will be plenty of other suitors for the five-time All-Star and two-time A.L. batting champion. Though Garciaparra was slowed by injuries to his Achilles' tendon, left wrist and groin -- he played only 81 games -- he hit .308 with 9 homers and 41 RBI for the Red Sox and Cubs.

Garciaparra hit .321 in 38 games with Boston and .297 in 43 games with the Cubs. He has a career .322 average with 182 homers and 710 RBI.

ROUNDUP PROBE OF FRANCO: The baseball commissioner's office will wait until after a government investigation to examine whether there has been a relationship between New York Mets 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 may ask Franco to testify in the trial of Vito Rizzuto, the Web site reported, adding that Franco arranged in 1993 for alleged mobsters to get tickets for a Mets game in Montreal. "When law enforcement is conducting an investigation of this type, we stand aside until the process is completed and then review the whole record of what took place," Kevin Hallinan, senior vice president for security in the commissioner's office, said yesterday. Franco wouldn't comment on the specifics of the report.

YANKS DECLINE OPTIONS: The Yankees declined their 2005 option on first baseman Travis Lee yesterday and their 2006 option on reliever Paul Quantrill. Quantrill, who struggled late last season, agreed last December to a $7 million, two-year contract that called for salaries of $3 million annually in 2004 and 2005 and included a $3.6 million team option for 2006 with a $400,000 buyout. The Yankees had until Monday to make a decision on the option, and they must now pay the buyout by Dec. 31. A 35-year-old right-hander, Quantrill was 7-3 with a 4.72 E.R.A. and one save, setting a team record with 86 relief appearances. Late in the season, Tanyon Sturtze supplanted him as New York's primary seventh-inning pitcher. Lee, 28, signed with the Yankees in March but played just seven games before going on the disabled list May 1 with a torn labrum in his left shoulder. Lee, who had surgery May 11, batted .140 (2-for-19) with two RBI. He was paid $2 million this year and gets a $250,000 buyout rather than a $3 million salary next season.

RANGERS DECLINE OPTIONS: The Texas Rangers declined 2005 options yesterday on outfielders Rusty Greer and Brian Jordan. Greer hasn't played since July 11, 2002, but has collected $21.8 million for the 2002, 2003 and 2004 seasons. He will receive a $600,000 buyout from the Rangers, who declined a $8,066,667 option for 2005. Jordan played just 61 games last season, hitting .222 with 5 home runs and 23 RBI. REDS KEEP CASEY: The Reds picked up Sean Casey's contract option for 2006 yesterday, an indication they have no intention of trading the popular first baseman who is among the team's highest-paid players. Casey made $6.8 million last season, when he hit .324 with 24 homers and 99 RBI. He'll make $7.8 million next season, the final guaranteed year in a three-year deal. Casey now will get $8.5 million in 2006, the option year in the deal.

OPTION ON DEMPSTER: The Chicago Cubs exercised their $2 million option yesterday on Ryan Dempster after the right-hander showed the club last season he had recovered from "Tommy John" surgery. Dempster, 27, was 2-2 with a 3.92 E.R.A. in 23 relief appearances. He held opposing batters to a .208 average and allowed 16 hits in 20 2/3 innings.

LOWELL STAYING: Mike Lowell is staying with the Florida Marlins. Lowell agreed yesterday to a revised deal in which the team guarantees the remaining $25.5 million on his contract. Lowell is a three-time All-Star third baseman who hit .293 with 27 home runs and 85 RBI last season.

STONE QUITS POST: Longtime Chicago Cubs analyst Steve Stone announced Thursday he was leaving WGN-TV, less than one month after coming under fire for on-air comments he made criticizing the team.