Jenkins to Stay With Brewers

All-Star outfielder Geoff Jenkins agreed Tuesday to a $23-million, three-year contract extension with the Milwaukee Brewers that includes a team option for 2008.

“I want to be a part of the good years that I see ahead for this team,” Jenkins said. “This is my greatest day as a Brewer. This is the organization I grew up in. I have a lot of fun here. Now, I get to be here four more years and that’s exciting.”

Jenkins had set a Thursday deadline for a deal and his agent, Tommy Tanzer, watched an intrasquad game Tuesday with General Manager Doug Melvin.

Jenkins, 29, will make $8.55 million this season, the last year of a four-year agreement that guaranteed him $18 million. He would have been eligible for free agency after the season.

His new agreement calls for a $1-million signing bonus and salaries of $7 million in 2005, $7.5 million in 2006 and $7 million in 2007. Milwaukee has a $9-million option for 2008 with a $500,000 buyout, and the deal contains escalators that could make it worth up to $38.5 million over four years.

The Brewers’ top pick and ninth overall in the 1995 amateur draft, Jenkins hit .296 with 28 homers and 95 RBIs last year and became an All-Star.

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Josh Beckett’s reward for a season capped by the World Series most-valuable-player award was a 12.5% pay cut.

The Florida Marlins renewed the pitcher’s contract for $1,509,375, the lowest the team could offer under the collective bargaining agreement. Last year he made $1,725,000.

Left-hander Dontrelle Willis, the National League rookie of the year, was renewed at $353,500 by the Marlins ($188,891 if he’s sent to the minor leagues). Right fielder Miguel Cabrera was renewed at $320,000 ($135,744 if he’s sent to the minors).

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Atlanta second baseman Marcus Giles agreed to a $430,000, one-year contract.... The Chicago White Sox and left-handed reliever Damaso Marte agreed to terms on a $4.5-million, three-year contract.... The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox play Friday night, April 16, at Fenway Park, in their first meeting of the season, and Fox will televise the game nationally.