Grievance Filed in Rocker Matter

The Atlanta Braves say the John Rocker case is closed. The players’ association disagrees.

The union filed a grievance Tuesday in New York to overturn Rocker’s suspension.

Commissioner Bud Selig banned the reliever from joining the team until May 1 because of disparaging comments against homosexuals, minorities and foreigners.

“I’m glad there’s finally a decision,” Brave Manager Bobby Cox said. “Maybe we can get this behind us one of these days.”

But the players’ union asked arbitrator Shyam Das to “rescind the discipline,” fully aware that many suspensions by baseball commissioners have been overturned or shortened.

“The discipline is without just cause,” the union said in a letter sent to Selig’s office. It was unclear when a hearing will be held.

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Shortstop Edgar Renteria avoided arbitration by agreeing to a $20-million, four-year contract with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Renteria, 24, made $2 million last season while batting .275 with a career-high 11 home runs and 63 RBIs.

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Outfielder Geronimo Berroa, who has played with eight major league teams over 10 seasons, agreed to a minor league contract with the Dodgers. Berroa, 34, batted .194 with one homer and six RBIs in Toronto last year, missing most of the season because of injuries. . . . Infielder Benji Gil agreed to a minor league contract with the Angels. He played with triple-A Calgary last season. . . . Tim Raines, after missing the final 2 1/2 months last season because of Lupus, signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees. Raines, who played in Oakland last season, was a Yankee from 1996-98. Lupus is a connective tissue disease in which the immune system turns against a person’s body.