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Gossage, Smith Keep Quiet After Meeting

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Times Staff Writers

Ballard Smith and Goose Gossage agreed Monday not to comment.

So it is unclear whether they agreed on Gossage’s future as a San Diego Padre.

Gossage--the relief pitcher who had continually criticized Smith, the team president, and was subsequently suspended without pay on Friday--went over to Smith’s La Jolla home Monday with his agent, Jerry Kapstein, and his lawyer, Bob Teaff. They met for an hour with Smith, Padre owner Joan Kroc and general manager Jack McKeon, and the only news came from Teaff, who said later: “Ballard Smith and Jerry Kapstein will remain in close communication.”

But there was little else.

Gossage: “I can’t comment.”

Smith: “We had a meeting, and beyond that, no comment. I’m sure at some point (he will comment), but right now I have no plans to make any comment.”

Kroc couldn’t be reached.

Kapstein: “I can’t comment.”

McKeon couldn’t be reached.

Gene Orza, general counsel of the Major League Players Assn., was ready to file a grievance against Smith, but he had not been told what to do as of Monday evening.

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“I don’t know anything,” he said. “The grievance is all typed up and ready to roll. I’ve got to see what happened at this meeting before I do anything.”

Smith has never said precisely what it would take for Gossage’s reinstatement, but he did admit this weekend that he wanted Gossage to publicly apologize to Kroc for “repeated public attacks.” And he also said Gossage would never again play for the Padres if he didn’t curtail the attacks.

Much hype surrounded the meeting, and three San Diego television crews stood outside Smith’s home Monday afternoon. A newspaper reporter saw one of Smith’s daughters and asked her to get her father.

Out he came.

He would only say how long the meeting lasted and who attended. He said he was flying today to join the Padres in Philadelphia. He began to walk inside as a Times reporter asked: “Is Goose going (to Philadelphia) with you?”

He went inside and closed the door without looking back.

Meanwhile, Gossage drove back to his home in Tierrasanta and--for a portion of his trip--was escorted by a police car.

Rod Vandiver, the policeman who is also a friend of Gossage, said: “I recognized him coming down Tierrasanta Boulevard. This is my beat. I thought I’d stop by and say hi. I didn’t know there’d be a horde (of reporters) there.”

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Television lights flashed in Gossage’s face as he spoke.

Question: How did it go?

Answer: No comment.

Q: What took place?

A: No comment, really.

Q: What was the feeling at the meeting?

A: I can’t comment. Not at this time. Jerry and Ballard will be in touch.

Q: Will you rejoin the team?

A: There’s no comment right now.

Q: Was the exchange of ideas one-sided?

A: I can’t comment.

Q: Is this a trying time for you?

A: I think anything like this is trying for anybody . . . Ballard, Jack (McKeon) and Jerry, again, they’ll be in contact with each other.

Q: Do you wish you’d said “No comment” earlier (before criticizing Smith and Kroc)?

A: (Smile) I can’t say anymore.

Q: What about the police escort?

A: (Laugh) They’re my buddies . . . I thought they’d given me a ticket for speeding.

He turned and left then, and his three kids--who were playing with toy guns in front of the house--made believe they were shooting members of the media.

“Pow, Pow, Pow,” they said.

End of interview.

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