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Let the bidding begin Free agents set for talks as market officially opens
NEW YORK (AP) -- Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez and Mike Mussina hit the open market at midnight Saturday, part of a free-agent class of 137 players likely to produce record contracts. Seven more players filed for free agency on the final day, three of them conditionally because decisions still have not been made on their contract options for 2001. Ramirez already has asked the Cleveland Indians for a 10-year, $200 million contract, which would be a record for a professional athlete. Earlier Friday, Ramirez rejected the Indians' counterproposal of $119 million for seven years. Rodriguez, considered by many the top player in baseball, might wind up with a higher average salary, depending on the length of deal he wants. Scott Boras, the shortstop's agent, hasn't put a price on his client, and Rodriguez is expected to attract the interest of baseball's biggest spenders, including the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets and New York Yankees. "Who knows what Scott's going to ask for," Mets general manager Steve Phillips said Friday. Saturday is the first day free agents can discuss money with all teams, but Boras has said he doesn't expect his client to make a decision until baseball's winter meetings, to be held in Dallas from Dec. 8-12. Yankees outfielders Paul O'Neill and Jose Canseco filed Friday, along with suspended teammate Darryl Strawberry, currently in a Tampa, Fla., jail battling cocaine and cancer. O'Neill and the Yankees have a tentative agreement on a one-year, $6.5 million contract, the same as his salary this year, but he must take a physical before the deal can be finalized. Seattle outfielder Jay Buhner also filed, and three players filed because they don't yet know if their options are being exercised: Cleveland outfielder Kenny Lofton, Yankees outfielder Glenallen Hill and Cincinnati outfielder Deion Sanders, who didn't play baseball this year, instead playing football with the Washington Redskins. Cincinnati formally exercised pitcher Pete Harnisch's $3.75 million option Friday, and Boston exercised reliever Rod Beck's $4.5 million option. Oakland pitcher Omar Olivares exercised his $4 million player option. Only two players eligible for free agency failed to file: St. Louis first baseman Will Clark, who has announced his retirement, and Yankees pitcher Dwight Gooden. The Yankees would have to release Gooden or trade him if they wish to clear his roster spot for a younger player prior to December's major league draft. One player who became a free agent, Colorado outfielder Todd Hollandsworth, already has a new contract. He is included among the 137 because his two-year, $5,5 million deal has not been finalized. Florida pitcher Ricky Bones, who filed for free agency last week, is not considered a free agent because the Marlins have confirmed his new one-year, $850,000 contract. In other moves Friday, Boston exercised outfielder Carl Everett's $9.15 million option for 2003, Colorado agreed to a non-guaranteed one-year, $1.5 million contract with pitcher Masato Yoshii, and St. Louis reliever Dave Veres agreed to a one-year extension for 2002 worth about $5.25 million.
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