Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, February 18, 1991 TAG: 9102180025
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: From Associated Press reports
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Pittsburgh left fielder lost his arbitration bid for $3.3 million on Sunday and was awarded $2.3 million instead.
It was the second straight victory for the Pirates. On Saturday, right fielder Bobby Bonilla lost his request to receive an arbitration record of $3,475,000 in 1991 and will make $2.4 million.
Bonds hit .301 last season with 33 homers and 114 RBI in leading the Pirates to the NL East title. When negotiations for a long-term deal stalled, the left fielder said he wanted to be traded and would someday come back and haunt the Pirates.
"You've got to remember, the club offer was almost three times his salary," Pirates spokesman Rick Cerrone said. Bonds made $850,000 last season.
Bonds also lost in arbitration last year. In 1990, he asked for $1.6 million, up from his 1989 salary of less than $400,000.
Bonds has said he should be paid on a similar scale to Darryl Strawberry or Jose Canseco - more than $20 million over five years.
Cy Young Award winner Doug Drabek, however, won his case with the Pirates and was awarded a record $3,350,000 in salary arbitration on Thursday.
Since last Thursday, the Pirates have added more than $8 million to their ever-increasing payroll.
Bonilla's $2.4 million is the second-highest total in arbitration history.
Bonilla gambled on winning his arbitration bid. Last week, he turned down a four-year contract worth $15.5 million, or $3.875 million a year - $1.5 million more than he'll make this season.
"I'm ready to play ball," said Bonilla, who hit .280 with 32 homers and 122 RBI. "This has not been a fun off-season. I'll just have to have my fun playing ball."
The Pirates' payroll has nearly doubled in two years, prompting general manager Larry Doughty to say, "Sometimes I think I'm going to aberration hearings, not arbitration hearings."
In other baseball:
Cleveland pitcher Greg Swindell won his arbitration case and will make $2,025,000 in 1991 instead of the $1.4 million the club offered, said his agent, Randy Hendricks.
Swindell, the ace of the Indians' staff, was hurt by arm troubles last season and finished 12-9 with a 4.40 earned-run average in 34 starts. He made $890,000 in 1990.
The Hendricks brothers - Alan and Randy - are 7-0 in arbitration cases since 1983, including Drabek's record award.
The Indians avoided arbitration with pitcher John Farrell, who agreed to a one-year deal for $420,000. He made $320,000 last season.
Ivan Calderon avoided arbitration and signed a three-year contract worth $7.8 million with the Montreal Expos. The outfielder was asking for $2.25 million for the 1991 season; the Expos countered with $1.7 million.
Calderon will make $2.2 million this season, $2.6 million in 1992 and $3 million in 1993.
Calderon, who played for the Chicago White Sox last season, was acquired along with reliever Barry Jones in the deal that sent outfielder Tim Raines to the White Sox in December.
Calderon hit .273 with 14 home runs and 74 RBI in 1990.
by CNB