Carew Turns Down Offer From Giants, Apparently Will Announce Retirement

Rod Carew, the former Angel first baseman whose contract was not extended when it expired at the end of the 1985 season, has apparently rejected a playing offer from the San Francisco Giants.

Carew is expected to make an announcement regarding his future Monday. He remained unavailable for comment Saturday amid speculation that he will officially announce his retirement.

“We talked to Rod two weeks ago,” Ralph Nelson, the Giants’ assistant general manager, said Saturday.

“Al (General Manager Rosen) told him he was the type of player who could help a club win a pennant. Two days later, he called back to tell us he was appreciative of the offer but wasn’t interested in playing.”

Nelson said the Giants told Carew that they remain committed to rookie first baseman Will Clark but needed another left-handed hitter and did not want to disrupt any of their minor league prospects. Carew’s rejection of the reserve offer apparently led the Giants to change their thinking since they recalled left-handed hitting outfielder-first baseman Mike Aldrete from Phoenix last week.

The Giants’ offer was the first for Carew since he left the Angels. Unless he has received another one, it is anticipated that he will reluctantly retire.