The Braves haven’t lost shortstop and leadoff hitter Rafael Furcal yet to the Cubs or any other team, according to the free agent’s representative. The team has continued to negotiate almost daily with Furcal.

Furcal’s agent, Paul Kinzer, said Thursday Furcal is still talking with the Braves, Cubs and Dodgers. Cubs general manager Jim Hendry met with Kinzer and Furcal in Atlanta Sunday, and Kinzer met again with Braves officials Wednesday.

“We’re going to talk more,” Kinzer said Thursday of the negotiations with the Braves.

Asked to characterize the Braves’ chances to keep Furcal, Kinzer said “I would say there’s reasonable hope.”

Added Kinzer: “I’m based out of Atlanta. I’d love to keep him here. Ultimately it’s going to be his decision. There has not been a decision made.”

Braves general manager John Schuerholz says the team has continued to negotiate almost daily with Furcal.

“The talks are continuing,” Schuerholz said. “As long as we’re talking, that’s what the process is about.”

Furcal batted .284 with 12 homers, 58 RBIs and a career-best 46 stolen bases last season. He also ranked among the NL leaders with 11 triples.

Kinzer confirmed Thursday that Furcal has turned down bigger offers from other teams he would not name.

“There were more years and more money on the table from a few other teams,” Kinzer said.

“All along he’s wanted to go to a city he’s comfortable in, a city and team that he has a good comfort level with. Obviously he’s interested in his security for the future. So we’re going to sit down and look at all this.”

Furcal is friends with Cubs infielders Aramis Ramirez and Neifi Perez, and he has a long respect for the Dodgers based on that organization’s strong presence in his native Dominican Republic, Kinzer said.

Furcal has deep ties to Atlanta, where he was the 2000 NL Rookie of the Year.

Manager Bobby Cox and Braves management stuck with the shortstop when Furcal spent 13 days in jail and four weeks in an alcohol treatment center last winter following Furcal’s second conviction for drunken driving.

Furcal also has close friends on the team, including veteran Andruw Jones. Furcal and Jones sat courtside together at an Atlanta Hawks home game Wednesday night. Furcal would not answer questions about his free-agent decision.

“I wish he would come back,” Jones said recently. “I know a lot of teams want a guy like him on their team. People are going to offer money. I’m just saying, if the Braves don’t offer the right money, other teams are going to pick him up. If they don’t offer the right money, he’s probably not going to be back.”

Kinzer says he still hopes to have a deal before baseball’s winter meetings begin Monday in Dallas.

“We’re still hoping to have it done,” he said. “If it takes a little longer there’s no drop-dead date etched in stone. Everybody involved would like to have it done before the winter meetings.”

The Braves have Wilson Betemit ready as a possible replacement at shortstop. The 6-foot-3 Betemit has intriguing power potential, but he is not a leadoff hitter.

The Braves gained financial flexibility when third baseman Chipper Jones recently agreed to restructure his contract, reducing his salary from $17 million to $11 million in 2006.