Smith Unhappy That Garvey Has Gone So Public : ‘Low-Key’ Approach Urged in Negotiations to Buy Padres

Steve Garvey’s public disclosures that he is trying to put together a syndicate to buy the San Diego Padres apparently have not been well received by current Padre ownership.

Sources said Thursday that a team official had left a message for Garvey Wednesday, advising the first baseman to take more of a “low-key” approach toward buying the team.

Sources say there is increasing friction between Ballard Smith, the Padre president, and Garvey, because Garvey has been “playing up the sale” in the newspapers.

Smith would not comment directly on Garvey Thursday, but he did say: “Joan (Kroc, the Padre owner) and I have made it clear that we will not negotiate (the sale of the Padres) in public. That’s our preference . . . It does nobody any good for somebody to come out in public and say they want to buy the club . . . If you’re reading about people buying the club in the paper, you can pretty well bet they’re not going to be buying it.”

Asked if he would sell the team to Garvey if he managed to raise the money, Smith said: “No comment, sorry.”

Meanwhile, Garvey said he never sought out publicity. He saids he was approached two weeks ago by two groups that merely wanted advice about buying the Padres. When he got to talking with544499813buy the team. He said he also realized he’d like to be managing partner, and that the groups that had contacted him liked the idea.

He said he had planned to remain silent, but mentioned the discussions during a San Diego radio broadcast. The story has since received a lot of attention.

“Any comments I’ve made have been unsolicited,” Garvey said Thursday. “I haven’t contacted anybody (in the media).”

But Garvey has decided to remain low key as the Padre front-office has asked.

“At this point, it’s in the best interest of the acquisition (of the Padres) that I refrain from saying anything,” he said. “I don’t want to say anything that would jeopardize the potential negotiations.”

In the past, Garvey and Smith were thought to be good friends. Garvey owns a condominium in Deer Valley, Utah, and Smith recently built a home near there. They ski together often. Recently, Garvey and Smith were pictured together in Ranch and Coast, a society magazine. And, also when Smith spoke this year on Stanley Live--a San Diego area talk show--he said: “It’s an honor to know Steve Garvey.”

Now, Smith has apparently become upset with some of Garvey’s newspaper comments. For instance, Garvey was quoted as saying: “The Kroc years were good ones, very important to the franchise. However, the franchise peaked in 1984, has fallen off and now is at a low point.”

Smith, after reading some of those comments, said Thursday: “I know this organization is a good one, and I don’t think this club is as bad as it’s played. I don’t think it’s that far from being a contender. That’s our goal, to get the club in contention in 1987.”

Smith has gone so far as to say that if top free agents such as Tim Raines agree to drug testing, he is willing to sign them to as much as a three-year contract (free agent pitchers, however, would be offered two-year contracts). Previously, he said he’d only offer one-year contracts to free agents.

If Garvey were to buy the team, he would likely make free-agent signings a priority.

A National League general manager said recently: “Team president? That’s what he (Garvey) ought to be. Be team president, sit back and attend the league meetings and let Jack (McKeon) run the club.

“I think he (Garvey) can get the money (to buy the team). And it’d be interesting to see his philosophy on free agent signings. I think he’s been quoted a time or two saying the Padres ought to go out and get some. We’ll see his philosophy then.

“And what will he do with one year contracts? Will he get rid of that philosophy? I think that’s the good thing for the Padres about getting this thing solved now. I think the one year contracts would go out the window, beer would be back in clubhouse. The image (of the team) would change.

“If they (Smith and owner Joan Kroc) get out, no telling what happens,” the manager said. “If they get out by the first of the year, the Padres might win the pennant. Just with the attitude change.”

Garvey has said he’d like to make an offer to buy the team by Jan. 1. He said he has spoken with six separate groups--two from the San Diego area, three from the Los Angeles area and one from the Midwest.