Candelaria Ends Feud With Pirates

Pittsburgh pitcher John Candelaria says he has decided to bury the hatchet with Pirate management, at least for the present.

“Baseball ranks about eighth on my priority list now,” said Candelaria, who is working out on his own at the Pirates’ spring training base. “New contract . . . starting or relieving . . . it just doesn’t matter that much right now. My assault on the front office didn’t do me any good last year. I’m not going to waste my energy or my breath anymore talking about how the club is being operated. (There are) too many other things on my mind.”

Candelaria indicated his change of mind was brought on the near death of his 19-month-old son, who fell into the family swimming pool Christmas Day in Sarasota and nearly drowned.

John Jr. has been in a coma since the incident and was recently discharged from a Tampa hospital. The child is now under 24-hour nursing care at his home.

“We thought being at home was best for him now,” Candelaria said.

Throughout the 1984 season, Candelaria feuded with Pirate General Manager Harding Peterson over various things. Candelaria blamed Peterson for the Pirates’ fall from second place in 1983 to last place and called Peterson a “bozo” and an “idiot” for failing to make a deal for a power hitter.

Candelaria was also upset at Peterson for failing to renegotiate his contract at the start of the 1984 season.