European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 7, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday May 7,1987 the stars and.3tripes Page 19 commentary s i Raines poured Gas on fires of collusion Midway through isl season Davey John son was silting in his Shea stadium office when Frank Cashen stopped by. In their casual Conversa Tion the mets manager mentioned to the general manager that Tim Raines of the Montreal expos might be a free agent when the season ended. I could play him in left held next year Johnson said winking. You re always trying to spend the club s Money Cashen said. Queen. Of course would obtain another left fielder Kevin Mcreynolds. To soothe his manager. But after rejoining the expos on saturday at Shea stadium Tim Raines displayed the skin s that John Ion had coveted. Without any Spring training the 1986 National league Balling Champion had five hits in nine limn at Bat. Including to game winning Home runs in the expos 11-7 and 2-0 victories. With a triple and two singles in addition to hit two Horn in he accumulated 13 total bases he also scored four runs "1 was dedicated Raines explained to being  Raines obviously was More dedicated to being ready to play last weekend than other major league teams were to being ready to pursue his services As a free agent. Not that the expos eventually got him on the cheap. Hours Afier he was permitted on May 1 to negotiate with the expos again he signed a three year $5 million contract hat included a $900,000 signing Bonus up from the $4.8 million the expos had offered before the Jan 8 deadline for re signing free agents. For nearly four months Raines had been out there will several other free agents available to the highest bidder. Bui no team truly sought him. The san Diego padres and the Houston astros each proposed a contract to the 26-year-old outfielder that was far below the expos final offer. The Seattle mariners and the Atlanta braves each approached his agent Tom Reich but did not sub Mit a firm offer. In assessing the 26-year-old outfielder s week end in Shea it now might be said that when it Raines it pours gasoline on the Bonfire of Collu Sion among major league club owners not to sign a free agent still wanted by his previous Leam As charged by the major league baseball players association. The spectacular Way Tim Raines returned said Don Fehr the players association s executive direct a photo Montreal s Tim run. And nobody wanted him Tor certainly highlights inc Absurdity of basically no team wanting  the Basic facts remain. Of the eight unsigned free agents on Jan 8, Only two Lance Parrish and Andre Dawson were signed by other major league teams each at a Cut rate contract. Parrish who had turned Down a two year $2.5 million offer from the Detroit tigers joined Llic Phil Adelphia Phillies for one year at 1800,000 and a 5200,000 Bonus if he has t in on he disabled list for 30 Days at the All Star game break. Dawson. Who had spurned a two year s2 million offer from inc expos joined the Chicago cubs for one year at $500,000, a figure written in by Dallas Green after the 32-year-old outfielder had permitted the cubs general manager to name the salary. In addition to Raines the other free agents Velum ing to their previous clubs Over the weekend were Ron Guidry to the Yankees Rick gedman to the Boston red sox and Bob Boone to the California Angels. Guidry docked 25 Days pay by the Yankees for the time he s missed this season will collect $1,558,242 Over two year instead of 11,65 million. Gedman will get 11.8 million Over two years instead of he red sox s previous offer ofs2.6s million Over three years. Boone will gel j747.154 this year instead of the Angels previous offer of jsb3.000. Doyle Alexander so far has rejected a guaranteed 1100,000 contract that included about 1500,000 in bonuses from the Atlanta braves who had offered him jl.87 million for two years. Bob Horner has gone to Japan to play for the Pakull swallows for one year for about j1.3 million after having spurned the braves three year $4.5 million offer. Raines s dramatic return does t make any Dif Ference in the  said Barry Rona of the owners players relations Council. The owners saw the Light. Or they saw the darkness of free  the owners supposedly saw the Light of fiscal responsibility a phrase often used by commissioner Peter Ueberroth to describe the change in Itic owners Altitude toward free agents. But the players association believes that the owners Altitude was choreographed not a coincidence. Following the 1985 season the owners explained that the free agent crop was t that Good even though it included Kirk Gibson who did t attract one offer. After the 1986 season the crop was much better but the owners either a pumped the free agents or drove the Price Down. George Steinbrenner the Yankees principal owner who somehow misplaced the Check Book he had opened so freely in previous years will testify soon. So will Ueberroth who interceded in Roger Clemens contract dispute with the red sox for the Good of  but the commissioner ignored the Good of baseball in idling the free agonis twist in the wind punished like so Many Little kids sent to their room until May i to believe that inc commissioner and the owners did t choreograph i hair policy on free agents is to believe that no other team could use Tim Raines. To a tort Tim., fast Freddie ready to zoom again by Randy Barnett is Moton port editor , Germany Louisi Ana s fast Freddie Spencer served no Tice Here this week that he is definitely Back on the High Speed Trail and that his goal is to win a third world championship in the 500cc division of motorcycling. Spencer won his first Soock title in 1983 and Ihen repeated in 1985 to be come the Only rider Ever to capture a double 250/5uocc world Crown in one season Alt on Honda. With that kind of background he obviously Felt confident in telling a press conference Here tuesday that i Don t consider Wayne Gardner s 27-Point Lead insurmountable by any Means and certainly not with 14 races to  Only 25, the quiet spoken native of Shreveport confirmed Here thai he will be making his 1987 debut in the German grand prix at Hocke Necmi on May 17. And that the race will be my first sick in trying to win Back the world championship. And my Only tactic will be to go All out from Start to finish and to  Spencer was forced to sit out the first two Gas this s Ason the japanese and Spanish rounds because of a shoulder injury suffered in the Daylong 200 in february. In a Brief discussion with Spencer after the press conference he said that his Daylong Accident resulted in More than a shoulder injury. My Scapula shoulder Blade was broken in three places so it look a while to heal and seems of now. But the tendinitis i suffered last year he missed most of the season because of it is completely cured now i m Happy to say and i m finally ready to  Spencer s Surprise appearance in Hock Nchim serves As a perfect example of his determination to win Back the Crown again on Honda cycles. He flew to Germany from Shreveport late monday after he was informed that the Hocke Nchim circuit would be open three Houri on tuesday afternoon for general practising. Current 250cc Leader Martin Wisnier of Germany defending 250cc world Champion Carlos Lavado of Venezuela and Many other top class rid ers were on the Irack tuesday afternoon with Spencer. I need the practice Here  Spencer said and so 1 planned to take part in the press conference and the three hours on me track the moment Honda informed me of it. The practice will help me a lot and it will also help us set up the Bike. I la Fly Back to Shreveport on wednesday then return to Germany next week logo  Spencer s discussion of his 27-Point deficit in this year s run led Back to his epic Duel for the title with King Kenny Roberts of Modesto calif., in 1983, a Duel Spencer termed the toughest of his career at one Point that year i had a Lead of 25 Points Over Kenny he said but by the end of the season it was Only five Points and did t win the title until the last race and then Only by two Points. So with thai example logo by any thing s possible and it Schild be inter Esting this season. But Wayne Gardner Eddie Lawson and Randy Mamola will All be  Spencer was referring to the current Leader and Spanish up Winner Gardner of Australia Honda and the two Ameri can riders Lawson the defending world Champion on Yamaha and Mamola who won inc opening japanese up on a Kenny Roberts icam Yamaha. After his tendinitis injuries and subsequent surgery last year. Spencer left the rothmans Honda Leam and now rides for Honda racing corp. Of America. The australian Gardner look Over As no. I on the rothmans Honda team when Spencer left. The Honda racing cycles Are All the same mine Gardner a Ron Haslam s an English rider so there is no advantage or disadvantage from the Honda technical standpoint where the two teams Are concerned Spencer said. Freddie Spencer ,. Eyes spotlight again looking out on the Hock Nheim Cir Cuit he said i be never won Here but i did break my Collarbone Here in the 82 race so i can t say it s a Lucky track for me. But because i be never won Here it will Moi Vic me All the More. And like everyone disc i la be hoping for dry