Andre Dawson will be a Cub for the rest of 1988, regardless of any arbitration ruling.
That`s according to Don Grenesko, the Cubs` business chief.
Dick Moss, Dawson`s agent, says it ain`t necessarily so.
Dawson?
”I don`t know if you`ll have to wait until the end of the season or if you`re a free agent right away or what,” said the right-fielder, whose future again is a puzzlement to himself and everyone else.
The basics: Arbitrator George Nicolau`s ruling on baseball`s second collusion case, once expected in mid-March, now isn`t likely until mid-May or later. His case covers 1986-87 free agents, including Dawson, Tim Raines, Lance Parrish and Jack Morris.
Another arbitrator, ruling earlier that baseball`s owners were guilty of collusion in limiting movement by 1985-86 free agents, essentially restored free agency to those players for a limited time this spring. The White Sox`s Carlton Fisk is one of them.
If Nicolau finds the owners guilty in Collusion II and offers the same remedy, it could make things very strange for about a month this summer.
”I think what he said is that it (remedial free agency) wouldn`t be effective during this season,” Grenesko said. ”Dawson`s not the only one. There are about 40 or 50 guys out there. It would be an absolute joke, a travesty, all those players scurrying around in the middle of the season.”
”That`s not true at all,” Moss said of Grenesko`s interpretation. ”He didn`t say anything about not declaring anybody a free agent until the end of the year.”
But wouldn`t a midsummer scramble for jobs and loot be a tad chaotic?
”Baseball can survive that,” Moss said. ”It`s survived far worse.”
”You don`t know that he`s going to come to the same conclusion the other arbitrator did,” said Grenesko, ”or that he would have the same remedies.” ”There`s no guarantee at all,” Moss agreed. ”But I wouldn`t bet on anything different happening.”
Moss and Grenesko haven`t talked since shortly after Dawson lost his salary arbitration ruling on Valentine`s Day.
Both are expected at the Cubs` camp this week, and Moss said he would talk with Grenesko Monday or Tuesday.
Moss and Dawson are seeking a new contract extending at least through 1989.
– The presence during the weekend of John Madigan, Cubs chairman of the board, in Port St. Lucie, Fla., sparked another flurry of talk regarding a move east.
The Cubs are bound to Mesa only through next year. Port St. Lucie is the site of the Mets` deluxe new training camp.
”At this point we still have our eyes open regarding spring training sites,” Grenesko said. ”Some of the facilities and the deals that teams are getting are very attractive.”
About the only thing lacking in Mesa is a third field for batting. Buying land next to HoHoKam Park or nearby Fitch Park would be prohibitively expensive.
Grenesko denied reports that Tribune Co., owner of the Cubs, already has sufficient land somewhere in Florida for a training base.
– Team doctor Michael Schafer said Scott Sanderson, recovering from back surgery, should begin rehabilitation in about two weeks. Sanderson is walking five miles a day, Schafer said. ”He`s so well motivated, I know he`ll do what he needs to do to get back,” Schafer said. ”He`ll be there.”
– Another pitcher on the mend is Bob Tewksbury. The right-hander, obtained last July from the Yankees in the Steve Trout deal, is recovering from tendinitis in his pitching shoulder.
