SAN FRANCISCO -- Dusty Baker's contract with the Giants expired Wednesday with little evidence either side had made a great effort to keep the manager in San Francisco.

''There's no news to report yet,'' Baker said.

The 53-year-old Baker, who just completed his 10th year with the Giants, led San Francisco to its first World Series since 1989 before losing in seven games to the Anaheim Angels.

Beginning Thursday, he is free to talk to other teams, and has expressed interest in the Chicago Cubs' vacancy. The Cubs were waiting until after Baker's contract had expired -- officially at midnight Wednesday -- before contacting him.

The Cubs' search for a new manager has been on hold until Baker's situation with San Francisco is resolved. General manager Jim Hendry hasn't interviewed anyone new, and is in Arizona for the team's organizational meetings.

The Seattle Mariners also are searching for a manager, and while they haven't publicly named Baker a candidate, general manager Pat Gillick has said he has a ''mystery candidate.''

After feuding since the World Series over the first move, the Giants' front office and Baker's agent finally made contact Tuesday night. General manager Brian Sabean and agent Moorad ended the standoff with less than 48 hours to go before Baker was permitted to talk with other teams.

''At this point our focus is on San Francisco, and it will continue to be until such a time that we and the Giants feel a deal is not in the cards,'' Moorad said at the time. ''In that event we would entertain interest on the part of other organizations.'' The first step might be clearing up hard feelings that surfaced during the delay in negotiations.

The Giants reportedly were planning to make an offer to Baker's agent, Jeff Moorad, before the contract ran out. General manager Brian Sabean and Moorad did not immediately return calls Wednesday.

Baker, as late as Tuesday afternoon, wondered why management hadn't approached him with an offer. ''Is it my place to talk to them?'' he said. ''They said at the beginning of the year that they were going to evaluate me at the end of the year. I don't know. Maybe it's still in the evaluation stage.''

The Giants countered that their initial attempts to reach Moorad went ignored. The Giants said they phoned Moorad several times over the course of the past four days without a return call.

''If Dusty's frustrated, he ought to be just as frustrated with Jeff Moorad,'' Sabean said

The assistant to owner Peter Magowan said Magowan would not comment on the negotiations with Baker.

Baker said during the playoffs that he did not intend to ''break the bank'' -- meaning the $6 million a year Joe Torre got from the Yankees -- ''but I want to be near the bank.''

He has expressed his frustration that the Giants waited so long to discuss the possibility of him coming back -- making him feel unwanted. In spring training, Magowan said he would wait until after the season to address new contracts with Baker and Sabean. Sabean agreed to a multiyear deal Oct. 31, and Baker left the next day for a weekend trip to Indiana with his father.

Baker has had his differences with Magowan, mainly on who deserves the most credit for the franchise's success.

Baker apparently feels slighted because Magowan always points out everybody else's contributions when reporters ask Magowan what he thinks of Baker's role in their success. Baker also became angry when Magowan predicted in spring training that this was the best team the Giants had fielded in his 10 years of ownership. Baker thought that put too much pressure on the players.

While Magowan wouldn't say after the World Series whether he wanted Baker back, the owner did congratulate Baker on a fine year.

Baker has become one of the most respected managers in the game, and a fan favorite.

''I don't really know the ins and outs of the political environment in San Francisco,'' Anaheim manager Mike Scioscia said. ''I'm sure it's going to come down to that, to some extent. I don't think there's anybody that can dispute Dusty's talent. He takes whatever the talent is and maximizes it. There's no argument he's one of the premier managers in baseball.''

St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said Wednesday after winning the NL Manager of the Year award, ''I hope Dusty returns there.''

The Associated Press contributed to this report.