He made the decision he really wanted, signing a nine-year contract worth $116.5 million, deferring nearly half to fit into Cincinnati's budget.

The race was the first in a nine-year contract, but was abandoned after only one.

One baseball official estimated that the Yankees might have to offer Jeter an eight- or nine-year contract for as much as $18.5 million a year.

They could end up offering Jeter an eight- or nine-year contract for $18 million to $21 million a year.

Junior was traded to the Reds last month because he would have been a free agent next November, and he signed a nine-year contract worth $116.5 million.

But the union said its offer, which it said could include a nine-year contract, was predicated upon steel producers' not asking for concessions in wages and benefits.

But a new, nine-year contract signed on Oct. 10 does not have the provision, as was reported yesterday by The Dallas Morning News.

He has a nine-year contract in partnership with L'Affiche, a subsidiary of Sodexho, an international food service company.

He recently signed a nine-year contract, estimated to be worth $285 million, with his syndicator, Premiere Radio Networks.

In his fifth season, Mullin has a new nine-year contract worth about $25 million.