BASEBALL NOTEBOOK: BONDS' 73RD MAY GET ONLY $2 MIL.

Byline: Daily News Staff and Wire Services

The sports agent brokering the sale of Barry Bonds' 73rd home run ball believes it might fetch considerably less than the $3 million that Mark McGwire's 70th homer sold for just three years ago.

Michael Barnes said the Bonds baseball either could be sold privately or auctioned and estimated that it will sell for $1 million to $2 million - appreciably lower than the $3,005,000 comic-book creator Todd McFarlane paid for McGwire's No. 70 in 1998.

When it comes to marketing history, Barnes said there are unknowns. The chief one: the interest level in the Bonds ball just three years after McGwire shattered the single-season home run record that previously had stood for 37 years.

--Six Dodgers moving on: Six Dodgers opted for free agency rather than accepting minor-league assignments.

Infielders Chris Donnels and Jeff Branson, catcher Brian Johnson, outfielder Bruce Aven and pitchers Al Reyes and Dennis Springer all will look for new organizations for the 2002 season.

Also, second baseman Jorge Nunez, acquired in the Shawn Green trade from Toronto, was added to the 40-man roster. He led the Double-A Southern League with 44 stolen bases, while hitting .260 with four homers and 28 RBI for Jacksonville.

--Grievance against Tigers: The Major League Baseball Players Association is expected to file a grievance against the Detroit Tigers for benching outfielder Roger Cedeno for the season's final 19 games.

Cedeno missed out on $200,000 in bonuses based on plate appearances because of the benching, which followed a Sept. 15 argument with manager Phil Garner. Cedeno didn't play at all after the argument, falling to second in the American League in stolen bases and missing out on a $50,000 bonus by three plate appearances.

--Molitor adds his name: Minnesota Twins coach Paul Molitor has joined the field of candidates to replace retired manager Tom Kelly.

``I think he made his intentions known with (general manager) Terry Ryan,'' Molitor's agent, Ron Simon, said. ``I guess the next move's Terry's.''

Molitor, 45, retired as a player after the 1998 season. He has spent the past two seasons as an all-purpose coach and has drawn praise from the players for helping with several different aspects of the game, from baseball and hitting to the mental approach.

--Hart to meet with Rangers: John Hart plans to speak with the Texas Rangers about becoming general manager of a team that finished last in its division despite the acquisition of Alex Rodriguez.

Hart is leaving Cleveland after being the team's general manager since 1991.

Rangers owner Tom Hicks also is expected to talk with Florida Marlins general manager Dave Dombrowski and Rangers interim general manager Dan O'Brien.

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BARRY BONDS

The baseball he hit for his 73rd home run could bring as much as $2 million on auction, according to an agent broker.