BASEBALL

RED SOX SEND RENTERIA TO ATLANTA FOR MARTE The Boston Red Sox gave up on Edgar Renteria just one year after lavishing a four-year, $40 million contract on him, trading the shortstop to the Atlanta Braves yesterday for third base prospect Andy Marte. The move left Boston without a shortstop, but Red Sox senior adviser Bill Lajoie denied a much-rumored deal that would wheel Marte to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for Julio Lugo.

Renteria led the majors with 30 errors in 2005, and finished with a .276 average, eight homers, and 70 RBI. The Red Sox had been hoping for something more like the .330 average, 13 homers, and 100 RBI he had when he won his second consecutive Gold Glove in 2003 with St. Louis.

Marte, 22, hit .275 with 20 homers and 74 RBI in 109 games in Triple-A last season, and .140 with no homers and four RBI in 24 games with the Braves. Boston will pay $8 million of the $26 million Renteria is owed for the next three seasons. In addition, Boston must pay the $3 million buyout if his $11 million option for 2009 is declined.

HERNANDEZ GOES TO BALTIMORE Free agent catcher Ramon Hernandez and the Baltimore Orioles have agreed to a $27.5 million, four-year contract. The 29-year-old Hernandez batted .290 last season with the San Diego Padres. He had 12 home runs and 58 RBI, but his main value is behind the plate, where he has a reputation for calling a smart game and capably handling a pitching staff. The addition of Hernandez will mean less time behind the plate for Orioles catcher Javy Lopez, who complained of sore knees toward the end of last season. Lopez is eager to spend more time as a designated hitter and at first base.

TIGERS TAKE CHANCE ON ROGERS No longer wanted in Texas, All-Star pitcher Kenny Rogers agreed to a $16 million, two-year contract yesterday with the Tigers that will give Detroit a veteran left-hander it hopes can provide leadership to a young rotation. Detroit also reached an $11 million, two-year deal with free agent Todd Jones, returning the veteran closer to the team he pitched for from 1997-2001.

Despite a desperate need for pitching, Texas cut ties with Rogers, who had three stints with the Rangers after they drafted him as a 17-year-old outfielder in 1982 and turned him into a pitcher. He was an All-Star his last two seasons, including a 14-8, 3.46 ERA performance this year, but will be most remembered for a videotaped tirade June 29 in which he shoved two television cameramen.

In other transactions around baseball yesterday, the Rockies signed 39-year-old reliever Jose Mesa, who was 2-8 with a 4.76 ERA and 27 saves in 55 relief appearances last season, to a one-year contract. And in Houston, free-agent outfielder Orlando Palmeiro agreed to a $1.9 million, two-year contract yesterday to stay with the Astros.

PLAYERS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVE NEW STEROID PLAN Major league baseball players unanimously approved the new steroid agreement that toughens penalties and could result in a lifetime ban. The players’ association executive board, as expected, approved the deal worked out with management November 15 under the threat of even tougher legislation from Congress.

Union head Donald Fehr said yesterday there was no need for all players to vote on the agreement because there were no real objections. Under the agreement, players will be suspended 50 games without pay for a first offense and 100 for a second offense. A third positive test would result in a lifetime ban. The deal also includes testing for amphetamines, which many have called an even bigger problem. A first positive test would lead to mandatory additional testing, a second offense would draw a 25-game suspension, and a third offense would get 80 games.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

BARNETT STEPS DOWN AS COLORADO COACH Gary Barnett reluctantly stepped down as football coach of Colorado yesterday, accepting a $3 million settlement and ending a tenure that was riddled by off-the-field problems but ultimately done in by recent bad results on the field. Barnett said the decision was made by athletic director Mike Bohn.

Barnett pointed to a resume that includes a Big 12 Conference championship, several Big 12 North titles and conference honors as coach of the year. The Buffaloes (7-5) will face Clemson in the Champs Sports Bowl on December 27. Barnett, 49-38 over seven seasons, will not coach the team in that game.

In 2004, Barnett found himself in the center of a sordid recruiting scandal, which resulted in an investigation that concluded drugs, alcohol, and sex were used to entice recruits to the Boulder campus, though none of practices were sanctioned by university officials. No charges were filed, but Barnett got into further trouble when he used derogatory terms in talking about kicker Katie Hnida, who came out with allegations that she was raped by a teammate in 2000. Barnett was suspended by the school in the spring of 2004 and had restrictions placed on his recruiting, which have since been eased.

HOCKEY

LEMIEUX HEALTH SCARE NOT CAREER THREATENING Pittsburgh Penguins owner-captain Mario Lemieux was discharged from a hospital yesterday after being diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat that can be treated with medication and should not affect his career.Lemieux, 40, was hospitalized following practice Wednesday after complaining of an irregular heartbeat – a condition general manager Craig Patrick said Lemieux experienced several times in recent weeks. After being evaluated overnight, doctors diagnosed the problem and told Lemieux he should rest and go on medication. He is expected to take it easy for a week to 10 days, after which the team will determine when he can resume play.

– Associated Press