European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 13, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday february 13,1994 sports the stars and stripes Page 31baseball commissioner s Power Cut by Ronald Blum new York apr the next commissioner a whenever one is hired a wont have very much Power to act in the Best interests of baseball. Owners issued rules changes Friday that prevent the commissioner from interfering with their business decisions. Until now commissioners had virtually unlimited Power to take actions a in the Best interests of  the new amendments prevent commissioners from using their a Best interests Power to affect the world series and postseason play scheduling inter league play divisional alignment expansion the Sale of teams the relocation of teams Revenue sharing or broadcasting agreements. A basically the commissioner seems to have no portfolio Power or Job. That a what it looks like from a distance sex commissioner Peter Ueberroth said. A i think the changes dramatically change the position. There will be the appearance of More responsibility but substantially less authority. That a the recipe for a  a a ,. A a the office of the commissioner has been vacant since Fay Vincent a forced resignation on sept. 7, 1992, which came two months after he angered owners by unilaterally realigning the National league. Owners decided last month not to hire a new commissioner until after they reach a new collective bar Avery wins gaining agreement with the players which Isnit Likely until the second half of this year a they Are wrong but time will Correct it a Vincent said. A eventually it changes  because of the absence of a commissioner and the move against the Powers of the office Congress has been considering proposals to strip baseball of its antitrust exemption. A i think Overall the office is clearly strengthened a said Milwaukee Brewer president Bud Schlig chairman of the ruling executive Council. A this brings the whole Structure and office into this decade and gets ready for the 21st Century. I think the key is it clears up the  although clubs formally put labor relations under the Power of the commissioner and eliminated the player relations committee they decided a the Powers of the commissioner to act in the Best interests of baseball shall be inapplicable to any matter relating to a subject of collective bargaining Between the clubs and the major league baseball players  that prevents a commissioner from unilaterally ending a management lockout As Bowie Kuhn did in 1976. New York met president Fred Wilpon co chairman of the restructuring committee defended the changes saying they made the commissioners Job More attractive because the role was More defined. A a he a involved in the integrity of the game As Well As the chief person running the game a Wilpen said. A a he a the chairman of All the major committees. That a a very powerful  the changes were contained in a restructuring report adopted by owners on Jan. 19. Lawyers have spent the past three weeks drafting the necessary amendments to the major league agreement which governs baseball. An accompanying news release said a a owners have enhanced the authority and Independence of the baseball commissioner and changes were made Quot to clarify the a a bust  Power. However officials speaking on the condition they not be identified admitted the a a bust interests Power Wai senti ally gutted. A the Best interests clause is effective where its most needed in protecting the integrity of the game Quot american league president Bobby Brown said. A the Only thing they were trying to do was eliminate the possibility of some move that did no to make an awful lot of  a. A a. A. The report did no to resolve whether owners have the Power to fire commissioners the Central dispute in the Battle Between them and Vincent. The amendments announced Friday place the league presidents under the Power of commissioners who now will have the Power to approve their hiring and re election. In addition the amendments specify that league presidents May be fired by a two third vote of clubs in their league. In addition the executive Council May now by majority vote declare a commissioner incapacitated and take Over his Power. Of baseball 2 others lose by Ronald Blum new York a Steve Avery is the latest Winner in salary arbitration and Alan Mills and Mike Fetters Are the latest losers. Avery a 23-year-old left hander will it $2.8 million this season from the at Anta braves five times his 1993 salary of $560,000. Arbitrator Howard Block decided Friday for the pitchers request rather than the teams $2.1million offer. Avery 18-6 last season with a 2.94 Era has a career record of 50-36. Fetters whose hearing also was decided Friday by Block will be paid $400,000 in 1994, a raise of $160,000, instead of his request for $825,000. Fetters who had Elbow surgery before the 1993 season was 3-3 last year with a 3.34 Era in 59ja innings but was limited to three appearances in september because of a strained right shoulder. Despite losing against Baltimore Mills salary will More than double from $245,000 to $500,000. He had asked for $890,000. The Case was decided by arbitrator Mort Mitchnick hearing his first baseball Case. Mills was 5-4 with four saves and a 3.23 Era. Owners have won five of the eight cases decided thus far this Winter. Seventeen players Are scheduled for hearings next week the final week of arbitration. Montreal expo outfielder Larry Walker settled Friday As did Baltimore outfielder Mike Devereaux and san Diego padre Pitcher Wally Whitehurst. Walker agreed to $4,025,000, a raise from his $3 million �?T93 salary. He hit .265 with 22 homers and 85 Bis last season and won his second consecutive Gold Glove. Devereaux agreed at $3,375,000, a $350,000 raise. The 31-year-old hit .250 last season with 14 homers and 75 Bis. Whitehurst agreed at $695,000, up from $487,500. He was 4-7 last season with a 3.83 Era. Among free agents infielder Kevin Seitzer agreed to re sign with Milwaukee for a two year contract. Seitzer 31, hit �?�290 in 47 games for the Brewers last season after joining the team As a free agent july 29. Kings Mike Donnelly fires a goal Over sprawling Guy Hebert the mighty ducks goaltender in first period at Anaheim on Friday night. Sabres snap Canadien Streak by United press International Alexander Mogiln returned to buffaloes lineup Friday night after missing four games supplying the sabres with the juice to blow by the division leading Montreal canadians. Mogiln scored twice to Lead Buffalo to a 5-1 Victory Over Northeast division rival Montreal snapping the canadians a six game winning Streak. Richard Svehlik had three assists and Dominik hasek 32 saves for Buffalo which is 4-1-1 in its last six games. Vincent Damphousse scored the Only goal for Montreal which also had its four game Road winning Streak snapped. Dave Hannan broke a 1-1 tie and put the sabres ahead to stay with a Short handed goal 71 seconds into the second period. Bob Sweeney made it 3-1 just Over a minute into the third period when he fired a wrist shot through goaltender Les Kuntaro a legs from the right face off Circle Mogiln who was sidelined with a sore right ankle scored his second goal at 14 26 of the third period and Brad May made it 5-1 just Over four minutes later. Mogiln and Damphousse traded first period Power play goals. % in other games Friday night red wings 6, flyers 3 at Detroit Steve Yzerman scored two oals and set up another and the red Ings tied a club record with three Short handed goals in route to Victory. Ray Sheppard added his career High 40th goal and two assists for the wings. Brent fedyk scored twice for the flyers who arc wingless in their last six games at Detroit. Maple Leafs 3, jets 1 at Winnipeg Manitoba Dave Andreychuk scored Short handed Midway through the second period helping Toronto snap a wingless Streak at four games. After a scoreless first period Andreychuk scored his 43rd goal of the seson at 8 38 of the second. Mike Eastwood extended the Leafs Lead to 2-0 at 12 14 before Keith Tkachuk brought the jets within 2-1 at 15 27. Glenn Anderson restored the Leafs two goal Lead 1 50 into the third. Kings 5, mighty ducks 3 at Anaheim calif., Wayne Gretzky scored a goal and set up four others and Jari Kerri tallied twice pushing the Kings into sole Possession of fourth place in the Pacific division. Kelly Hrudny made 46 saves for the Kings while Gretzky who recorded the 93rd five Point game of his career set up Thuc Kings first four goals and sealed the Victory by scoring into an empty net with 1 12 remaining in the third period. Flames 4, whalers 1 at Calgary Alberta Trent Yawney and Theo Fleury scored second period goals and Mike Vernon stopped 19 shots in Abling the flames to tie a season High with their fifth straight Victory. Pat Verbick netted the Only goal for Hartford. Sharks 4, Blackhawk 3 at san Jose calif., Todd Elik scored a two goals and Sergei Makarov also scored twice lifting the Sharks to their second Victory Over the Blackhawk in four Days. Nordques rangers postponed too much Snow outside caused a postponement of the new York rangers que Bec game at Madison Square Garden. The game was rescheduled for March 2, and the rangers game that night with Philadelphia was moved up to feb. 28