BASEBALL ROUNDUP

BASEBALL ROUNDUP
News and notes
Pirates: Pittsburgh declined to exercise its option on second baseman Pokey Reese, deciding not to pay him $5.125 million next year after he missed all but five weeks of last season. Reese gets a $750,000 buyout. Pittsburgh had until midnight Sunday to exercise the option. Reese signed a $5 million, two-year deal with the Pirates in 2002 after rejecting a $21 million, four-year offer from Cincinnati the year before. His average jumped from .224 with Cincinnati in 2001 to .264 with the Pirates in 2002 and had four homers and 50 RBIs. He hit .215 in 37 games last season before tearing a thumb ligament. Pirates general manager Dave Littlefield said in September that the 30-year-old Reese would not return to Pittsburgh.
Free agents: One of the top free agent classes in recent years hit the market Monday, with teams wary of flashing big bucks and offering longterm deals. A record 210 players voluntarily became free agents, 53 more than the previous mark set last year. And dozens more players figure to be cut loose by Dec. 20, the last day for teams to offer 2004 contracts to players on their rosters. Former All-Star Robert Fick already was let go by Atlanta. Monday was the first day free agents could talk money with all 30 teams. Re-signing Andy Pettitte is a top goal of the Yankees, who also may try to land Bartolo Colon. Boston, which lost to New York in the 11th inning of Game 7 of the AL championship series, could chase the same players the Yankees covet. Second baseman Luis Castillo, who helped Florida win the World Series, might be on that list.
Yankees: Bubba Trammell's attempt to regain a large part of his $2.5 million salary began Monday with the start of his grievance hearing. Trammell was put on the restricted list June 30, with the Yankees saying the move was made because he left the team without permission due to unspecified personal reasons. By placing him on the restricted list, New York no longer had to pay his salary. The union filed a grievance, claiming he was owed the remainder of his salary.
Reds: Ken Griffey Jr. and Barry Larkin joined a crowded church at Dernell Stenson's funeral Monday, giving the rookie one last standing ovation. About 30 of Stenson's teammates from Cincinnati and the Arizona Fall League filled four pews at First Baptist Church.
World Cup: Major league baseball could give the go-ahead by the end of January to start a World Cup in March 2005. Many issues are unsettled, but both the commissioner's office and players' association would like to have at least one year of lead time to prepare. The tournament would include 8-to-16 national teams and be played in 4-to-8 U.S. ballparks.
GM meetings: Results are expected in a few days from this year's drug-testing survey of players, baseball commissioner Bud Selig said. If more than 5 percent of those tests are positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance, then all players will be subject to possible random, unannounced testing, with penalties for those who fail. Otherwise, another survey will be conducted. Baseball has already added the designer steroid THG to the list of banned substances for next season.
Mantle auction: Three hundred pieces of Mickey Mantle memorabilia will be auctioned by Guernsey's at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 8. The items are from Mantle's widow, Merlyn, and the Hall of Famer's surviving sons, Danny and David. Included in the sale are every professional contract signed by Mantle, from the first one that paid him a $1,150 bonus and $140 a month to play for the Independence (Mo.) Yankees in 1949 to his last one with the New York Yankees in 1968 for $100,000. Two of Mantle's three MVP trophies are in the auction along with a number of his landmark home run balls. The catalogue includes articles written about Mantle by longtime teammates Whitey Ford and Yogi Berra.
-- Associated Press