The times, they have a-changed. For proof, take a glance at the payrolls of the defending National and American League champions.
In 1985, Jack Clark became the first San Francisco Giant to make $1 million a year. Barring injury or trade, the Giants will open the 1990 season- if there is one-with 13 players making $1 million or more, if one includes signing bonuses. They range from Will Clark, at $3.75 million, to former Cub Rick Reuschel, at $1 million.
The Bonanza by the Bay prompted a rebuke from George Steinbrenner. General Manager Al Rosen replied: ”I don`t have to defend myself. Bill Veeck said it so succinctly several years ago: Clubs don`t get hurt paying the stars. They get hurt paying mediocrity.”
Across the bridge in Oakland, the world champion Athletics will pay Rickey Henderson and Jose Canseco a total of $4 million this year. Their entire payroll was $1.3 million in 1980, the last year Charlie Finley owned the club.
– Around the horn: Outfielder Cory Snyder reached agreement Saturday on a one-year, $700,000 contract with the Cleveland Indians, avoiding an arbitration hearing scheduled for this week. Snyder had sought $810,000, and the Indians were offering $600,000. . . . Arbitrator Raymond Goetz ruled in favor of the Pittsburgh Pirates in a salary arbitration case against outfielder Barry Bonds, who will receive $850,000 in 1990. He had asked for $1.6 million. Teammate Billy Hatcher won his case and will earn $690,000. The Pirates had offered $525,000. . . . The Braves` Lonnie Smith lost his salary arbitration case and will make $1.75 million instead of $2 million. . . . Cardinals third baseman Terry Pendleton was awarded $1.85 million by arbitrator Stephen Goldberg. The Cardinals had offered $1 million. . . . Randy Bass, 35, one of the top sluggers in Japanese baseball history, has been invited to the Orioles` spring training camp on a tryout basis. . . . The A`s on Saturday signed veteran left-handed reliever Guillermo Hernandez to a Triple-A contract with Tacoma for the 1990 season. . . . Prospects are likely to be among the hardest hit by a prolonged lockout. ”If this would have happened last year, Ken Griffey Jr. and Greg Briley would never have made the team,” Seattle second baseman Harold Reynolds said. . . . San Diego catcher Benito Santiago received $1.25 million from an arbitrator last week, making Tony Gwynn the eighth-highest-paid Padre. Gwynn renegotiated his contract just over a year ago, signing for $1 million this season and $2 million for each of the next two. He`s gunning for his fourth straight National League batting title. . . . There will be huge expectations for one of those Giants`
millionaires, Kevin Mitchell ($2.1 million), but history says they could go unrealized. He hit 47 homers last year, second highest in San Francisco history, behind Willie Mays` 52 in 1965. Mays hit 37 the next season, and never more than 28 after that.
Nolan Ryan used the two-month strike in 1981 to develop the changeup that helped him remain effective even as his fastball slowed a bit. ”This time, I`ll go live with Charlie (Hough),” Ryan joked. ”I`ll smoke cigarettes and throw knuckleballs. It probably wouldn`t do much for my pitching, but I know my golf game would get a lot better.”. . . The A`s and the Giants are pulling out of the Arizona Instructional League, which is held in October, and have begun two-week camps in February because they think the prospects will be fresher. . . . Finalists in the contest to find the first Mariner mascot include a sea serpent, a mongoose and a baseball. . . . Minnesota Vikings running back D.J. Dozier is thinking about trying out for a spot in the Twins` farm system. He hasn`t played organized baseball since high school. . . . Will the Twins miss departed free agent Jeff Reardon? He had 31 saves last season, five more than the lifetime total of rest of the Minnesota staff. The Twins plan to give Rick Aguilera a shot at the closer job. Aguilera, acquired from the New York Mets in the Frank Viola trade last winter, has seven career saves.
– McKechnie Field, the aging, historic spring training park of the Pittsburgh Pirates, is in danger. In November the city council in Bradenton, Fla., will ask voters to approve funding for a $6 million ballpark to be built downtown. The new park would have lights and seat 7,000. McKechnie is the oldest park in the Grapefruit League and has no lights.
