European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 6, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse Sunday december 6,1987 the stars and stripes Page 23 new Gas open baseball meetings trades free agents expansion on Agenda by Ben Walker Dallas al1 a posse of new Genera managers anxious to Lasso inc likes of Hob Horner Phi Bradley and Rich Gudman ride Inlo Texas this week for a Roundup where trades free agents and expansion will be on inc Agenda. This Lime the scramble at inc annual Winter meet Ings is for pitching. Everyone wants in no one has it and a Loi of teams would like Mike will and maybe Floyd Bannister. The four Day gathering starting sunday is sure to produce ill least one big Swap. It always docs even though changes two years ago in Trade deadlines have eliminated the need to do deals during the week. Last year there were seven deals involving 21 play ers including Kevin mercy nolds and Danny Tarta Bull. The last Lime the meetings were in Dallas in 1980, 18 trades Corral cd 59 players. Players Are not the Only ones moving lately. Eight general managers will be attending the meetings for the first Lime with their new teams. Houston s spot is still vacant although it s Likely Hal assistant Bill Wood will move up. I m still learning said Lou Pinilla. Now wearing business suit pinstripes in the new York Yankees front office instead of pinstripes As the team s Field manager. I can in pc in Trade myself. I would t have to Check it with or. Pinilla asserted. But 1 other Gas hired since the world series ended in clude Rollic Ocmond who look Over in Baltimore for Hank Peters now working in Cleveland. Jim Frey is Back in Chicago with the cubs. Murray Cook is in Cincinnati and Woody Woodward is with Phila Delphia. Also los Angeles Fred Claire and Montreal s Bill Stolcman took Over during the season making them rookies at the meetings. Ill ladle another pm or Call him in the Middle of the night if that s what in lakes said Ocmond who handled More than 100 Telephone Calls in his first three Days after joining the slumping orioles. Once As Gen eral manager with the Chicago while sox Hemond set up a desk with an open for business sign in the lobby at the meetings. Yankee pm Lou pin Tullu dons different sort a pinstripes. Among players rumoured to l c prime Trade bail is Bradley a career .300 hitter for four seasons who might become too expensive for Seattle to keep. Ged Man who has become disenchanted in his native Massachusetts is Eup cited to be at the meetings and bos Ion is looking to Deal him possibly to the new York mels for Jesse Orosco. The White sox arc shopping uan Nistor and the Yan Kees arc interested. The dodgers Are dangling Mike Marshall and few clubs Are biting. The Wilsons Glenn of Philadelphia and cookie of the acts can be had. Free agents May also be prime beef at the meetings. There agents will mix and mingle with team executives. Last year powerful agents Dick mos and Tom Reich used the setting to declare their Eli cols Andre Dawson Tim Raines Kinec Parrish. Id Jack Morris would absolutely not return to their learns Liu son and Parrish did leave. Raines and Morris stayed. Since then an arbitrator ruled owners conspired to restrict tree Agency after the i9k5 season Thill Deci Sion May have set a precedent for a similar grievance filed by the play Cri association following the 1986 season. This week san Francisco signed free agent Briu Butler even though Cleveland wanted to keep him. It s too Early too said Moss who is Tui scr s agent when asked whether the free agent Market is free again. The bulk thing May be one of those few cases thai was done for Witt and Homer might be truer less. Will a proven Winner with California Matte si.3 million last season and it remains to be seen if any teams lop the Angels new ofter Steinbrenner met Wilh Witt this week but said the talks were mainly Horner who lives in the Dallas suburb of Irving and is expected to attend the meetings with agent Bucky Woy wants to play again in the major leagues instead of resuming to Japan. The Atlanta braves. Horner s former Leam will offer a one year contract for $900,000 and seem confident they can gel him. San Diego and Texas also want to talk to Homer. All things being equal he would prefer to play in the United Stales Woy said. Pakull. Homer s Leam in Japan last year is ready to give Horner about so million for three years. The week is also a Lime of official business. The Long Range planning and expansion committees Are meeting although 50 big announcements arc expected. Commissioner Peter Ueberroth May Tell the commit tees to intensify i hair studies so that he has something to Tell congressmen in his meeting wi.1 them wee. 15. Ueberroth will make his slate of the game address monday and will Likely focus on base Ball s better financial position. Following Ueberroth s speech will he inc draft of players not on any team s 40-Man Rosier who May be claimed for 150,000. Craig Mcmurtry Heads the list. No More Converse ing for magic Boston a Converse inc. Has filed suit to prevent magic John son of the los Angeles lakers from jumping into somebody else s shoes. The Massachusetts based athletic Shoemaker said Friday Hal in filed inc lawsuit after being notified thai Johnson wanted to terminate his con tract because he did t believe he was making enough Money from endorse ments. We have inc highest regard for magic s bask tall abilities said Jef Frey Fromson general counsel for Converse who tiled suit in Middlesex county Superior court. The action seeks an injunction that would Force the basketball Star to comply with a contract that has seven years remain ing. But this is a business relationship Hal started in 1979, and he simply cannot walk away from a contract that has several More years to run Fromson said. Johnson s attorney John argue was nol Ai his los Angeles office on Friday a sect Elary said. Fromson would not reveal John son s salary with Converse but he said Johnson was asking for five times his base from son said he did t know which if any. Other shoe company Johnson May be planning to join. We have offered him several opportunities to increase his already substantial compensation Fromson said of Johnson. When magic did t magic Johnson. Shoe does t fit gel what he wanted he began to criticize our products which have served him Well for the past eight years. Now he seeks to terminate the agreement. We Honor our contractual agreements and expect no less of our Fromson said. Unfortunately magic has left us no alternative. Enough is Fromson said a hearing on the re quest for an injunction could be held As Early As wednesday. Olajuwon will Wager he s clean Houston apr Houston rockets Center Kacem Olajuwon says he is not using drugs and he s offering to put up at Leasi $50,000 to prove in. If anyone thinks i m on drugs bring $1.000 and put in Down and i la put $50,000. up front Olajuwon said thursday night after practice. Ill Tak a drug test. And if i fair they can gel the s50,000. If i m right they can donate the thousand dollars to a drug Center. " i la take the drug Lesl any time and not just now As Long As i m in the Olajuwon said it s important to him to squelch rumours circulating in the Aba that he is using drugs. I Don t know who started these re mors about he said. It s coming from everywhere he said he said she said i m not on the Street. I be never been on the Street. I Don t know where these things Start. I Don t know what i in do to Slop Olajuwon s frustration erupted into a scuffle this week with Leam mate Robert Reid who Olajuwon said helped spread the rumours. The two exchanged punches during a workout tuesday but Olajuwon said thursday they had settled their differences and Shook hands. Olajuwon a native of Nigeria grew up Akcam Ola Jonvan. Will risk $50,000 in a Middle class family in Lagos is Well educated and Speaks seven languages. I m a very smart he said. I m a businessman. In would be bad business to get involved with drugs. Drugs arc a dead end Street. If 1 do drugs i m dumb i have everything to lose. I be never done drugs. I come from a Home where there were no drugs or Alco he said. Olajuwon says he believes jealousy is the source of the rumours. A Loi of people Are jealous of Basket Ball players especially a Guy coming from Nigeria and making All this Money he said. A lot of people want to see your downfall. In has to be
