Furcal still undecided on Braves, Dodgers

Dec 17, 2008 - 7:01 PM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Rafael Furcal can't make up his mind.

The free-agent shortstop has apparently narrowed his options to the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers, with whom he played the past three seasons. But at this point, anything is possible.

FoxSports.com reported on Tuesday that Furcal had agreed to a three-year, $30 million deal with the Atlanta, where he spent the first six seasons of his career.

However, the deal was apparently nothing more than a "gentleman's agreement," and Furcal and his agent, Paul Kinzer, are said to be talking with the Dodgers again.

In fact, Kinzer told reporters in New York on Wednesday that "things are swinging back toward the (Los Angeles) Dodgers, probably."

Kinzer has done a fantastic job of playing the Braves and Dodgers against each other, having said Tuesday that - while no deal had been reached - the Braves were the "favorite."

The Oakland Athletics also were in the mix entering this week and reportedly offered Furcal a four-year deal in the $40 million range.

Furcal left the Braves after the 2005 season to sign a three-year, $39 million free-agent contract with the Dodgers.

A .286 lifetime hitter with 259 steals, Furcal played in just 36 games last season because of a back injury that eventually required surgery.

Signing the 31-year-old Furcal would give Atlanta the option of trading shortstop Yunel Escobar, whose name had come up in recent trade talks involving San Diego Padres starter Jake Peavy.