MILWAUKEE -- Mark Loretta will have a long-term contract to go along with his new full-time job as the Milwaukee Brewers' starting shortstop.

	Loretta

Loretta, who had been eligible for salary arbitration, agreed Wednesday night to an $11 million, three-year contract with the Brewers.

"Mark will be the starting shortstop for at least the next three years," general manager Dean Taylor said. "We think he's deserving of the opportunity, (and) it was a deal that just made economic sense for the ballclub."

The signing of Loretta, who would have been eligible for free agency after the 2001 season, was announced just hours after Milwaukee traded last year's starting shortstop, Jose Valentin, to the Chicago White Sox in a four-player deal that brought pitchers Jaime Navarro and John Snyder to the Brewers.

Loretta, who made $1,495,000 last year, gets annual salaries of $2.5 million, $3.5 million and $5 million.

"I think I'm the senior Brewer on the team," Loretta said. "It's pretty amazing. Having a mutual commitment from the team for the first time, that just makes me want to go out and prove they were right about me."

Loretta played every infield position for the Brewers in 1999 and hit .290 with five homers and 67 RBI. He established career highs in five offensive categories: hits (170), runs (93), RBI (67), doubles (34) and walks (52).

Loretta was one of the few Brewers whom Taylor said he hadn't considered trading during his overhaul of the team, which finished its seventh consecutive losing season in October.

Loretta, who spent most of his time at shortstop and first base but occasionally filled in at second and third, finished the season strong, reaching base in 20 consecutive games.

Loretta was a seventh-round draft pick of the Brewers in 1993. He has spent most of the last four seasons in the majors, hitting .294 for his career with 483 hits.

Taylor, who originally offered Loretta a two-year contract, has made deals for seven pitchers and a catcher, Henry Blanco, in the last two months as well as hiring new manager Davey Lopes. In addition, the Brewers' entire starting infield from Opening Day 1999 will be different.

Taylor said he might not be done dealing, but that any new moves will be a "fine-tuning" before spring training.

"It's going to be an overall different feeling," Loretta said. "We have an entire new regime, and I think the feeling of perpetual mediocre years isn't going to exist any more."