American League : Mariners Are Early Choice for ’86 After a Sweep of Royals

A four-game Seattle sweep in Kansas City may sound improbable, but it was obviously not impossible.

Neither is it implausible that 1985’s spoilers will mature into bona fide contenders in 1986.

The Mariners might have made it happen this year but for a rash of injuries to their pitching staff. They had seven pitchers on the disabled list at one frustrating point in midsummer.

Now healthy again, the Mariners exhibited their potential by outscoring the Royals in the sweep at Kansas City, 24-5. It was the first four-game sweep in the Mariners’ history, and the first time the Royals have ever been swept in a four-game series at home.

Kansas City beat Seattle, 4-3, in their opening game this year but has since lost nine in a row, being outscored, 54-19, much to the appreciation of the Angels, who will be rooting for the Mariners to maintain their dominance in a three-game series with the Royals starting Tuesday night at the Kingdome.

While owner George Argyros considers filing for bankruptcy in a bid to break his Kingdome lease if recent agreements aren’t ratified by local officials, the Mariners have been taking on the appearance of a blue chip.

Seattle boasts three of baseball’s best young hitters in left fielder Phil Bradley, first baseman Alvin Davis and third baseman Jim Presley.

Next season, they are expected to be joined by Danny Tartabull, who hit 43 homers as the Calgary shortstop but will probably play the outfield in the majors. Ivan Calderon, another promising hitter, has been sidelined for much of the second half by injury, but he may also be part of the ’86 outfield.

The Mariners’ bullpen has a 22-7 record, with 29 saves in 35 opportunities. The hard-throwing Edwin Nunez is 7-2, with 15 saves, having delivered on his touted potential. Roy Thomas, a former No. 1 draft pick from Lompoc, is 7-0 in relief, his winning streak representing a club record.

Starter Mike Moore has quietly become one of the league’s best. He is 15-8 with four straight complete-game victories. Former UCLA left-hander Matt Young has 12 wins, five in his last six decisions.

Mark Langston, the American League’s Rookie Pitcher of the Year in 1984, is again throwing well after visiting the disabled list with an elbow problem. Rookie Bill Swift, an emergency recall from Class A to fill the injury void, has apparently arrived to stay.

The Kansas City sweep may have marked the arrival of the Mariners.

The Angels will assuredly lead the league in one department: potential free agents. They have 10, including Reggie Jackson and Ruppert Jones, whose free agency is tied to option clauses in their current contracts.

The club has an option on Jones for 1986 and is expected to exercise it. Jackson went into the 1985 season having already qualified for a continuation of his $975,000 salary in the option year of ’86 by satisfying statistical criteria in his contract. He wants to play and wants to stay but is also seeking an increase in pay.

His attorney, Steve Kay, has had preliminary talks with General Manager Mike Port. The situation is expected to be resolved, but here’s a long-range possibility if it isn’t: Jackson would waive the option, become a free agent, return to Oakland and buy a minority interest in the A’s.

The Angels’ free-agent eligibility list also includes Juan Beniquez, Rod Carew, Ken Forsch, Bobby Grich, Al Holland, Donnie Moore, Don Sutton and Geoff Zahn.

There are no significant negotiations with any of these eight at this time. Port has put his priority on the race. He could face a difficult timetable, depending on how far the Angels go, but he doesn’t seem concerned.

Port said there have been no decisions, that he first must evaluate the system to determine which young players, if any, may be ready, and then meet with Manager Gene Mauch and his coaches to analyze the varsity.

“I can envision having anywhere from a week to a month (depending on when the Angel season ends) to negotiate with our people before they have to file (for free agency),” Port said. “In some cases, in fact, it might be helpful for both sides if they first found out where they fit (or didn’t fit) with other clubs.”

It was in the wake of a June 22 game at Chicago in which Beniquez homered, tripled and singled that Mauch said Beniquez had been baseball’s best hitter over the last three seasons.

The statement may prove financially costly to the Angels.

Beniquez’s agent, Ray Negron, promptly compiled statistics on all players with 1,000 or more at-bats for the 1983, ’84 and ’85 seasons, the latter through Aug. 31.

Beniquez, who hit .305 in ’83 and .336 in ’84 and is again the leading Angel hitter at .294, wasn’t No. 1 for that period, but he wasn’t far from it.

Negron’s list: 1--Wade Boggs, .347; 2--Tony Gwynn, .326; 3--Don Mattingly, .324; 4--George Brett, .315; 5--Harold Baines, .314; 6--Lee Lacy, .313; 7--tie between Beniquez and Jose Cruz, .312.

Nice company for a man making a comparatively modest $365,000.

Larry Bowa told the New York Times that the only other club he heard from before signing with the New York Mets after being released by the Chicago Cubs on Aug. 12 was the Angels.

“I heard from a couple of clubs about managing jobs for next year,” he said. “But the only club I heard from about playing was the Angels. I didn’t want to start a new league at this time. I didn’t know if I’d play again. Then the Mets called.”

Bowa’s comments came as a surprise to Port, who said the Angels never approached the veteran shortstop. “Jack Sands, his agent, called to see if we were interested,” Port said. “I told him we weren’t.”

The Cleveland Indians have been in last place in the East since May 22, but Pat Corrales said there are tougher managing jobs. What could be tougher?

“The Cubs,” he said. “Winning the thing one year and finishing fourth or fifth the next. And there’s nothing he (Manager Jim Frey) can do about it. He just knows he’s got a better ballclub, and they’re all on the shelf or on the mend. That’s the toughest managing job of all. The second-toughest is last place.”