European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 27, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 26 baseball �?T91 the stars and stripes wednesday february 27, 1991the doctor is in new York Metsale Dwight Gooden Sive negotiations designed to gain a takes a turn in the Hutting Cage Mon contract Extension along the lines of Day at port St. Lucie Fla. The right Quot the four year $21.4 million Deal land Liander is embroiled in Media intended by Bostons Roger Clemens. A Hal Bock the associated press for Stile baseball free agents. All Post tons. All experienced with major a league credentials. All immediately available will work cheap comparatively speaking. Contact appropriate agents. A a. A a a a a. V in a booming free agent Market that produced record revenues for Many players the flip Side arc baseball s hard Core unemployed. For every Bud Black equipped with a $10 million contract from the san Francisco giants there s a Rick Mahler waiting for the phone to ring. For every Kirk. Gibson signed by Kansas City for $3.65 million there a a Candy Maldonado sitting at Home. Free Agency is easy Street for some a dead end for others. Still available Are More than two dozen players like Brian Downing Fred Lynn John Tudor and Ron Oester familiar names who had adequate 1990 seasons. So How come they can to find jobs what appears to be happening is a not so Subtle squeeze play on baseball a Middle class. Teams Are perfectly willing if not entirely Happy to Fork Over big Bucks for marquee names. When it a comes to the next level however the Check books done to flip open quite As quickly. So world Champion Cincinnati figures it can fill Mahler s seven wins with somebody making less than the $790,000 it was paying hint somebody perhaps like free agent Ted Power signed for a bargain basement $500,000. That s a savings of $290,000, which can be applied to the $12.5 million contract the reds gave to inf Browning. That left Mahler shopping for a new Job and finding teams hesitant about signing a Pitcher who will be 38 this summer. His agent Steve comte has been reduced to trying to get Mahler an invitation to Camp. A comte a Hope now is that with pitchers and catchers in Camp Mahler May become More attractive when tears see what they have in the Way of arms. A it s the most frustrating situation i be had in 13 or 14 years in this business a comte said. A the Guy can and Maldonado can hit. At least he did last year when he led the indians with 22 homers and 95 Bis. Cleveland used the Branch Rickey formula for dealing with him. Hall of Tamer Ralph Kiner delights in recalling How Rickey offered him a salary Cut following one of his 50-Home run seasons with Pittsburgh explaining that the pirates had finished last with him and they could finish last without him. The indians finished fourth in Maldonado a big year paying him $775,000. They could finish fourth paying somebody else the minimum $ 100,000 Maldonado sits and Waits. Larry sheets who had 10 homers and 52 Bis last year with Detroit was in the same situation As Maldonado until agent Ron Shapiro got him a no guarantee invite to the orioles Camp. The squeeze was apparent. A there is an apparent trend that it is somewhat harder for a mid level player to get the free agent pay dirt maybe because of. The Mega dollars going into the contracts for superstars a he Tours Florida Sites Miami apr As the National league baseball expansion committee considers placing a franchise team in St. Petersburg Miami and Orlando hopefuls were left feeling positive about their chances Lor a team. Committee members dropped a lot of upbeat statements about both cities when they visited on monday. They were expected to tour St. Petersburg tuesday the third and final Florida City vying for one of the two expansion franchises that will begin play in 1993. The other cities in Contention for an expansion team a Denver Buffalo and Washington . A Likely will Host visits in March or april. A a it a very obvious there a a lot of excitement about the potential of baseball coming to South Florida a Douglas Dan Forth chairman of the Pittsburgh pirates and the expansion committee said monday. A a we re leaving with the feeling there Are no serious Philadelphia Phillies president Bill Giles said Miami a Joe Robbie stadium looked pretty Good. A a in a very impressed with is the parking Quot he said. And Danforth said Orlando was definitely in the running although it s considered a Longshot because it lacks a stadium and local ownership. A you have a lot of things going for you not the least of which is Disney world a Danforth said after touring the City and the proposed stadium site Southwest of downtown. Further fueling Hope among officials in All three cities were statements by league president Bill White who said monday that both franchises could be awarded to Florida cities. Whites comments countered speculation that the National league won to shut the american league out of the promising Florida Market by putting two teams in the the National league would Hope to pick the Best two Sites no matter where they Are a White and pains altering some Spring plans Ltd Ben Walker baseball writer so far the doctors Are just As Busy As the players at Spring training. A a a a. _ Frank Viola has developed a sore Letl Elbow and an examination has revealed signs of Small Bone spurs. A the Only thing that concerned me is that in be never had problems to All especially this Early a the new York mcts�?T20-game Winner said monday. Anti inflammatory medication was prescribed for Viola and tie Metsy said he would work out tuesday at port St Lucie Fla. A if we Felt that a Pitcher was seriously Hurt we let him throw Quot mels vice president a1 Lara Zin said. Mark Gubicza however has modified his prediction that hell be set to pitch for Kansas City royals by opening Day. A a a in la be ready but 1 done to know what for a said go Bieza who underwent arthroscopic shoulder surgery around the Camps last aug. 2. A if its going North with the club that a Fine. If it s staying Down Here for extended Spring train Iii that a Fine. But i know ill be ready to pitch at some Joe Maranc Isnit sure when hell be Able to pitch again. He was Back in St. Louis on monday to have his sore left Elbow cheeked. A a you re always concerned when one of your big people is Hurt a cardinals general manager dal maxvill said. Quot we be had some bad Luck in past Springs. Joe has been healthy through his career so hopefully this is nothing serious. But until the doctor has a Chance to look at him,.we�?Tll have our fingers a the Seattle mariners Are closely watching Mike schooler their All time save Leader. He missed the final six weeks last season because of shoulder problems. �?o1 Jusi started letting it go. That s the main thing Quot schooler said after throwing 45 pitches none of them too hard. A a in be been tentative the last couple of weeks but today it feels like it s supposed to. I can let �0 and really stretch Cincinnati though got an encouraging report about Catcher Joe Oliver he is responding so Well to physical therapy for an inflamed shoulder muscle that the reds could Cut his recovery Lime. Oliver a activity has been limited since the Start of Camp. The Boston red sox got their first look at free agent Danny Darw in and manager Joe Morgan liked what he saw from the National league Era Champion. A the was impressive Quot manager Joe Morgun said. A the must have thrown 40 straight Quot strikes keeping the Ball Down both on the inside and Down and out. That a what pitching is All the Texas rangers meanwhile will wait for Nolan team opened Camp monday with 24 pitchers reporting but Ryan was absent. In keeping with his strict workout program Ryan 44, w on t arrive until March 1
