European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 19, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday december 19, 1990 the stars and stripes Page 23commenta baseball s 7m a a Oil Ai Mike Boddicker a pay soared from $675,000 to about $3.2 million a year. Darryl Strawberry will earn $3.8 million for wearing dodger Blue. In Murray class t11e time Mill soon come when Hatting averages Ami earned run aver Ages prevail in baseball talk hut for now the numbers preceded by Dollar signs not Decimal Points continue to nourish. And astound. A glance at Dollar sign developments reveals some remarkable facts a this past season one player earned Niobe than $3 null Ion Lor the 1991 season 23 players Are already guaranteed incomes of More than .$3 million. A in 1990, 29 players earned $2 million or More. With Many Eon tracts still to be negotiated the $2 m ill Ion Circle numbers 86 players 23 at $3 million or More 21 betweeiv$25 and $3 million 42 Between $2.0 and $2.5 million. Thai Means that at least one player of every 7.5 on 1991 opening Day rosters will be tit $2 million or higher a this year the biggest team payroll belonging to the Oakland athletics was $23 million. It covered 29 players on the roster or the disabled list on aug. 31. With Only 13 to. 15 players signed the athletics the mels and the san Francisco giants already have payrolls of $25 million or More. A Large increase from 1990 salaries was a Given because Many players in signing multiyear contracts had taken lower salaries for this year because of the potential of a lockout or strike. Those salaries would Rise significantly for 1991. But salaries Given free agents the last six weeks have made the leap even More dramatic. Darryl Strawberry for example stands at the lop of the 1991 salary scale at $3.8 million. This year his $1,85 million salary placed him in a tie for 42nd. Vince Colema whom the acts signed after Strawberry defected to los Angeles rocketed in the salary standing from a tie for 151 is to 21st. A Mike Roddick cry a salary change reflects both the lower 1990 salary so Raigey and the free Agency aspect after earning $675,000 with Boston this year he will soar to $3,166,667 with Kansas City next year catapulting him from a lie for 246th to a tie for 18th. Robin you it of Milwaukee whose $3.2 million salary made him the first player to reach the $3 million plateau has the same salary for next year and ranks Only 16th now. Boddicker a raise of $2,491,667 is the largest raise among players who Are signed for next season Dave Siewart of. Oakland will have an increase of $34 million. C Oleman $2.1 million Ami w Illie Mcgee of san Francisco $2,062,500. Next in line is a player who was affected neither by lower 99fl salary nor by free Agency. A Greg Maddux of the Chicago cubs will earn $2.4 million next season a raise of $1,902,5 1 1 from ins l�?~�9ll salary of $437.5ik1. The athletics have fisc and the giants three i avers at the $3 million plateau Lor 1991. The mets have two. But they have the most players seven at $2 million or higher the giants and the athletics each have five at or above the $2 million Mark with los Angeles and Kansas City each a paying six players that much. The Chicago while sox and the Cleveland indians Are the Only learns without a $2 million player. Only 111 others do not have a $3 million Plaver the athletics have signed 15 i avers for next season for a total of $26. Million. The giants have Sigried 14 play cars for a total of $25.8 million. They have signed a 15th, Dave Rigel i but his yearly salaries have hot been determined. As soon As they Are which could he in live next few Days the giants will move beyond $27 million. I he mels have 13 players signed for u total that is Only $83,332 Short of$25 million. Baseball s first $30 million payroll is assured. If for example the Ald ties in completing their 25-Man Rosier signed 111 other players for the same salaries they had this year they would Init $30 million. A but one of those 10 players is Mark Mcgwire and he alone will push the. Athletics close to that level. With the resigning of Bob Welch As a free agent the a swill exceed the $31 million payroll their general manager Sandy Al Derson has forecast. The mels and the giants have said they do not expect to  More free agents but the mets could make a Trade that would bring them another High-Sal-7a l red  purposes of estimating a minimum opening Day payroll assuming no further moves were made if the mels and the giants completed their Rosier by signing players for Oyhat they earned this year the met payroll would be $28.3 million and the g hints $ 275 million f of course no player signs for w hat he made the. Year before so those totals will move much closer to the $30 million Mark if not beyond i a a a than a York Tim -. Wilkins Hawks dip cars by the associated Tress Richfield Ohio a Dominique Wilkins pitied the poor souls assigned to guard him in the second half monday night a when you get hot like that there a not much anybody can do a Wilkins said after he scored 32 Points including a perfect 7 of 7 from the floor in the third Quarter As the Atlanta Hawks beat the slumping Cleveland Cavaliers 109-98, j. Wilkins was merely human in the first half scoring 14 Points on 4-of-10 shooting As Cleveland a Chucky Brown forced him to work hard for his shots but two Quick jumpers at the Start of the third Quarter convinced Wilkins he was on his game again. A after 1 hit my first two , 1 Felt like i was on a Roll. And Wrhen i get in a Groove like that no one can Stop me Quot he said Wilkins scored 15 Points in the period helping the Hawks build a. 79-61 Lead with 3 35 left in the Quarter. Five of his seven Field Grafals were from the outside. A the was Ania zing but the whole team was amazing Quot Atlanta coach Bob Weiss said. A we moved the Ball better in that stretch than possibly we be Ever moved it Quot Cleveland scored nine of the last 11 Points in the third period and trailed by 11 entering the fourth. The cars closed to 81-74 on Brad Daugherty a 15-foot shot Early in the fourth Quarter but Atlanta answered with Aba Roundup eight straight Points a the last four by John Battle Quot you know its hard to believe we lost nine games in a Row this team has pulled itself together Quot Witk Massaid Atlanta suddenly stands 11-11. Critical to the turnaround Glenn Rivers has recovered from a pulled Groin and Jon Koncak has moved to the starting lineup allowing Moses Malone to provide a liftoff the Bench. A i would say the biggest Factor is Doc Rivers being healthy a first year coach Bob Weiss said. A a we re running More set plays playing better defense. We re More unselfish and we re learning our roles better. Its taken time for them to adjust to me and me to them.�?�. Brittle who finished with 24 Points has scored 52 Points off the Bench i Liis last two games. "1 in was 0 for 6  ago a a Weiss said a but he scores against a of of people. Its great to have the firepower coming off the  Koncak had 16 Points and 13 rebounds. Daugherty scored 33 Points and collected a career High 18 rebounds for cd eve land. The Hawks won their fifth straight game while sending the Cavaliers to their sixth straight loss. Cleveland is 1-7 since losing Point guard Mark Price to a knee injury see Aba on Page 26 Atlanta a Dominique Wilkins drives on Chucky Brown