Maddux No Longer a Brave

Greg Maddux’s long run with the Atlanta Braves is over.

As expected, the Braves didn’t offer arbitration to the four-time Cy Young Award winner by the midnight Sunday deadline, essentially ending his career in Atlanta.

The Braves also cut ties with outfielder Gary Sheffield and catcher Javy Lopez, two sluggers whose salary demands were beyond the range of the payroll-cutting team.

Julio Franco was the only Atlanta free agent to be offered arbitration. The Braves would like to bring back the 45-year-old first baseman to platoon with rookie Adam LaRoche next season.

Players not offered arbitration can’t re-sign with their old clubs until May 1. Maddux went 16-11 with a 3.96 earned-run average last season -- his 16th straight year with at least 15 wins -- but probably will have to take a significant pay cut in 2004. The 37-year-old right-hander is within 11 wins of 300.

In other developments, catcher Ivan Rodriguez said goodbye to the Florida Marlins, Montreal cut ties with Vladimir Guerrero, and Texas said so long to first baseman Rafael Palmeiro and outfielder Juan Gonzalez.

But Philadelphia offered arbitration to Kevin Millwood, extending their negotiating period with the right-hander for another month.

The Chicago White Sox offered arbitration to right-hander Bartolo Colon and Oakland made the offer to their 2002 AL MVP, shortstop Miguel Tejada.

Fourteen of the players who faced the midnight deadline agreed to re-sign, including Minnesota outfielder Shannon Stewart, who got an $18-million, three-year contract from the Twins, and Seattle reliever Shigetoshi Hasegawa, who got a $6.3-million, two-year deal.

Also, star Japanese shortstop Kazuo Matsui decided to join the New York Mets, accepting a contract offer, he said at a news conference in Tokyo. The Mets’ offer was for about $20 million over three years.