Renteria among three from Cards to file for free agency

ST. LOUIS -- Cardinals shortstop Edgar Renteria filed for free agency Friday along with catcher Mike Matheny and outfielder Ray Lankford, two days after the Boston Red Sox swept St. Louis in the World Series.

Re-signing Renteria, 29, is expected to be one of the Cardinals' top priorities. The All-Star shortstop batted .287 with 10 home runs and 72 RBIs this season, a drop-off from 2003 when he hit .330 with 100 RBIs.

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa and general manager Walt Jocketty have been told their 2005 budget will be the same as this year, about $85 million.

Matheny, 34, is widely considered among the best defensively at his position. He batted .247 with five home runs and 50 RBIs this year, but hit just .195 in the playoffs.

Lankford, 37, left the team a day after the Cardinals acquired Larry Walker from Colorado and accepted a minor league assignment to Triple-A Memphis nine days later. He batted .255 in 92 games with St. Louis this year.