Furcal denies he reneged Braves

SANTIAGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — Rafael Furcal denies he reneged on a deal with the Atlanta Braves before agreeing to a contract last week with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“We never gave the nod to the Braves,” he said Sunday after arriving to play winter ball for the Aguilas of Cibaenas.

Braves president John Schuerholz and general manager Frank Wren were quoted in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution as saying Furcal’s agent asked the Braves to send a signed letter of agreement, then reached a deal with the Dodgers.

“That is not true,” Furcal said. “We never, not my agents nor me, agreed to anything with the Braves.”

Furcal also had been negotiating with the Oakland Athletics.

“They offered $32 million for four years and later raised it to $35 million and told us to take it or leave it,” Furcal said.

Furcal hit .357 with five homers and 16 RBIs last season, but was limited to 36 games. He had back surgery in July and was sidelined until the season’s final week, but started each of the Dodgers’ eight postseason games.