Agent: Sosa wants to stay in Chicago

CHICAGO (AP) -- Sammy Sosa's agent said he doesn't have a gut feeling one way or the other whether the slugger will stay in Chicago but said Sosa wants to remain in a Cubs uniform.

Adam Katz, Sosa's agent, met with Cubs president Andy MacPhail on Thursday as part of ongoing talks about a possible contract extension. Sosa is signed through 2001.

''His preference is to stay,'' Katz said Friday before the Cubs began their Crosstown Series with the White Sox.

''You're jumping ahead,'' he said when asked if Sosa would approve a trade. ''The Cubs have to decide if they want to go that direction. I'm not sure they've made that decision.''

Though his contract doesn't expire for another 1 1/2 years, Sosa is looking for an extension that could pay him as much as $15 million-$20 million a year. If the Cubs decide they don't want to spend that kind of money, they might look to trade Sosa and kick start their rebuilding process.

As a player with 10 years in the majors and five with the same team, Sosa has veto power over any trade. But if the Cubs make it clear they feel a trade would be the best for the organization, Katz said Sosa would cooperate.

All of this could be premature, though. Cubs general manager Ed Lynch said the team isn't shopping Sosa or looking to trade him.

''I was asked yesterday, would I consider trading Sammy Sosa. I said I would trade anybody if it helped make this organization a better organization,'' Lynch said. ''I think any general manager would tell you (that).

''The way our pitching's been over the last 2 1/2 weeks, we feel like we've got a chance to make some noise in the division,'' Lynch said.