Padres and Horner Discontinue Talks

The Padres were far from signing free agents Tim Raines and Bob Horner Thursday, after Ballard Smith, Padre president, asked each player to take a drastic cut in pay.

Negotiations with Raines will continue.

But Smith on Thursday told Horner’s agent, Bucky Woy, that the two sides were too far apart to continue negotiating.

Horner made $1.8 million with Atlanta last season, but Woy said he was willing to accept a one-year, approximately $1.5-million contract to play for the Padres.

However, Smith--according to sources--was speaking more in the $1-million range, with some incentive clauses.

“I basically told Bucky Woy that I felt we were so far apart that there wasn’t really any place for us to go,” Smith said. “And he (Woy) obviously felt there was more money out there than we felt Bob (Horner) was worth. So I assumed he would explore the market, and depending on what he found, he’d come back to us.”

Meanwhile, Raines--the 1986 National League batting champion--made $1.5 million with Montreal last season, and his agent, Tom Reich, recently had asked the Padres for a three-year, $6-million contract.

But sources said that Smith on Thursday offered Raines a contract worth approximately $3.7 million over three years.

Reich did not return telephone messages Thursday, but Smith said: “We’re not going to pay $2 million for anybody. I think the years of the $2-million ballplayer are over. I don’t think anybody will pay him (Raines) $2 million.”

So the negotiations--for both Raines and Horner--have gone as Smith expected. He had said he didn’t think there would be any quick signing, that the free agents would likely have to test the market, realize the big money isn’t out there anymore and come back to the Padres’ original offers.

But this scenario has made Woy, for one, livid. So much so that he is screaming that familiar tune: “Collusion.”

Woy and Horner had visited San Diego with Smith on Jan. 11. Smith took them to dinner and to his home.

Woy said that evening was wonderful, that Smith “was ready to give Bob a uniform, ready to put him in the lineup.” At one point, Woy told Smith he wanted Horner to make either $5.6 million over three years, $3.7 million over two years or $1.9 million for one year. Woy said Smith didn’t bat an eye and kept raving about Horner.

Then, eight days later, Woy offered to take a one-year, $1.5-million contract from the Padres. He called it an acceptable offer.

So when Smith called Woy Thursday, he was dumb-founded to hear they were so far apart.

“Collusion!” he said.

“We offered him (Smith) a deal he couldn’t turn down. If he was sincere about winning, sincere about signing Horner, sincere about leaving a legacy (after selling the team), how could he say no?

“Either he’s getting pressure from the outside (other owners) or else he’s the most naive person I’ve ever met. If this were true free agency, he’d be out there worrying about what (Atlanta owner) Ted Turner was going to do and what (Yankee owner) George Steinbrenner was going to do.”

Smith denied he was under pressure to sign Horner or Raines to low contracts.

But Smith did not deny that he made Horner feel welcome. He also did not deny that he made Horner think a signing was possible.

“Occasionally, I can be very sociable,” Smith said.

And, no, Smith didn’t interrupt when Woy reeled off those big salary figures.

“We were just having a nice dinner,” Smith said. “I didn’t feel the need to comment one way or another.”