Schott Denies Threatening Van Gorder for Going to Arbitration

Owner Marge Schott of the Cincinnati Reds denied Monday that she had threatened to trade or sell backup catcher Dave Van Gorder if he went through salary arbitration.

The Major League Baseball Players Assn. has filed a grievance against the Reds, accusing Schott of threatening Van Gorder’s status.

Van Gorder, 28, won his salary arbitration case last week. He was awarded $150,000 for 1986. The team offered $75,000.

The grievance accuses Schott of unfair labor practices. It said she told General Manager Bill Bergesch to tell Van Gorder that he would be traded or sold to another club if he refused the Reds’ offer and went ahead with arbitration.

Schott denied telling Bergesch any such thing and said that she didn’t believe Bergesch would ever make such a threat.