MILWAUKEE (AP) -Geoff Jenkins enjoyed a solid year as the Milwaukee Brewers stayed in playoff contention for most of the season.
Now they're moving on without him.
The Brewers said Tuesday they've declined a $9 million option for Jenkins, parting ways with the veteran left fielder who has played his entire career in Milwaukee.
"I don't think there's going to be any shortage of opportunity for him once he hits the free-agent market," agent Damon Lapa said.
A message left with the 33-year-old Jenkins was not immediately returned.
Jenkins was nicknamed "The Glue" by young teammates like Prince Fielder and Rickie Weeks as Jenkins stuck around for several miserable years waiting for them to develop. Jenkins was called up midseason in 1998 and was the longest tenured Brewer.
From 1999 on, the Brewers won just 44 percent of their games and had four years of at least 94 losses. Milwaukee had its first winning season since 1992 this year, holding an 8 1/2-game lead in the NL Central in June before sliding to 83-79.
"It's going to be an interesting opportunity for Geoff, because you've got to realize he's been in the big leagues for nine-plus years, but this is really the first time he's ever been a free agent," Lapa said.
Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said he told Jenkins on Tuesday that they appreciated his efforts and thought he should pursue a multiyear deal with another organization.
"It's sort of bittersweet because he's played a big part of his career when the team wasn't very good and now that the team's getting a little bit better, it's the time that we're going to be parting ways," Melvin said.
Jenkins, who played at Southern California and was drafted in the first round in 1995, isn't committed to returning to the West Coast, instead looking for "a competitive team, an opportunity to win, a good organization," Lapa said.
"As far as narrowing his targets, Geoff's going into free agency with an open mind," Lapa said.
Jenkins was emotional in the clubhouse at the end the 2006 season, believing that the team would trade him in the final year of a three-year, $23 million extension and bitter after he was benched for a prolonged period.
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