12:09 PM EST on Thursday, December 16, 2004

BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer

BOSTON -- Two days after dropping out of a bidding war for Pedro Martinez, the Red Sox yesterday were the victors in a four-team scramble for free agent shortstop Edgar Renteria, signing the former St. Louis Cardinal to a four-year deal worth just under $40 million.

US Presswire photo

Free-agent Edgar Renteria gives the Sox another offensive weapon and a rock-solid replacement for Orlando Cabrera at shortstop.

Renteria, who ironically made the final out for the Cardinals as the Sox won their first World Series in 86 years, replaces Orlando Cabrera, whose stay with the Sox, eventful as it was, officially came to a close with the acquisition of Renteria, a fellow countryman from Colombia.

Renteria, 29, receives a $4 million signing bonus with salaries of $7 million in 2005, $8 million in 2006, and $9 million in both 2007 and 2008.

The Red Sox hold a club option for a fifth season in 2009, worth $11 million, with a $3 million buyout. The buyout is partly deferred, however, making the present-day value of the entire package slightly less than $40 million.

The Cardinals' final offer reached $38 million over four years, forcing the Red Sox to go higher than anticipated. But having withdrawn from negotiations for Martinez, who agreed to a four-year, $53 million deal with the New York Mets Monday, the Red Sox had additional room in their budget to lavish upon Renteria, a career .288 hitter, four-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner.

The Detroit Tigers and the Seattle

Mariners had helped drive the price up for Renteria, with one team -- it's not known which -- offering a five-year, $50 million deal and the other presenting a four-year, $44 million proposal.

Renteria gives the Red Sox a spectacular defensive anchor in the middle of the infield, while providing them with another significant offensive weapon. He mostly likely will hit second in Boston's batting order, but has the ability to hit leadoff, and may move to the top of the lineup if Johnny Damon, a free agent after next season, doesn't return for 2006.

Renteria had something of an off-year at the plate in 2004, hitting .287 with 10 homers and 72 RBI. But in four of his five previous years, Renteria had hit more than 10 homers and three times topped 72 RBI.

As recently as two years ago, Renteria stole 34 bases, though his total was cut in half to 17 last season.

He also has extensive playoff experience, having played in two World Series (he delivered the game-winning hit in Game 7 of the 1997 Series for the Florida Marlins). Renteria also took part in the postseason in 2000, 2001 and 2002 with the Cardinals.

Initially, the Sox had planned to find an inexpensive, short-term solution at short, while anticipating the arrival of phenom Hanley Ramirez sometime in the 2006 season.

Though they were impressed with Cabrera in the two months following his arrival at the trading deadline -- and his error-less postseason -- they were unsure he warranted a multi-year commitment.

For a time, consumed with re-stocking their pitching staff and retaining catcher Jason Varitek, the Red Sox postponed filling their shortstop position. They considered trading for Tampa Bay's Julio Lugo, and presented a half-dozen trade offers to the Devil Rays to no avail.

They also briefly toyed with idea of signing free agent Placido Polanco -- a one-time teammate of Renteria -- but decided it was too risky to ask him to play shortstop full-time. Most of Polanco's major league career has been spent at second base.

Finally, with Martinez off the market and money available, they stepped up their pursuit of Renteria and were told late Tuesday night that they had an agreement.

Renteria is scheduled to fly to Boston later this week, where he will take a physical and officially sign his contract.

With Renteria in place for at least the next four seasons, the Red Sox have the luxury of moving Ramirez to another position, dealing him to obtain established major league talent, or, should be continue to develop, swapping Renteria himself.