Boone Has His Old Job Back : Angel Catcher Signs a One-Year Contract Worth About $711,000

Bob Boone returned to the Angels Friday, signing a one-year contract that ended a four-month enforced vacation that cost Boone all of spring training, the first month of the regular season and more than $100,000.

So much for the free agency experience.

“It was more unemployment than free agency,” Boone said. “When I didn’t sign with the Angels, I thought I would get an offer that was the same or a little less from another team. But there was nothing out there. I received no legitimate offers.”

So, Boone, 39, came back to the Angels, the team that had offered him $883,000 Jan. 8, the re-enlistment deadline. At the time, he told them no, holding out for what he termed a $10,000 “token of appreciation” for his Gold Glove 1986 season.

“My position changed,” Boone said of his signing. “I liken it to selling your house. You put your house on the market for $200,000 and someone offers you $175,000 and you tell them no. Then, it sits there for six weeks while you’re making payments. It changes your perception of what the house is worth.”

Friday was the first day Boone could re-sign with the Angels--and he did so quickly. After a half-hour meeting with Angel General Manager Mike Port, Boone agreed to a contract that will earn him about $711,000 in 1987.

Before rejoining the Angels, Boone will spend a training assignment of approximately a week with the Angels’ Class-A affiliate in Palm Springs, so the contract reflects that assignment. While with Palm Springs, Boone will be paid under the terms of a $140,000 annual salary--or $814 a day.

With the Angels, Boone will be paid a salary pro-rated on the club’s original offer of $883,000, subtracting $5,134 a day for each day of playing time he missed. Thus, if Boone spends a week in Palm Springs and then rejoins the Angels, the deal would net him $711,450.

“I appreciated the integrity shown by the Angels, Mike Port and the Autrys,” Boone said of the terms. “I’m very satisfied with the financial arrangement.”

After a press conference at Anaheim Stadium, Boone left for Palm Springs, where he caught seven innings of Friday night’s game against Fresno. Boone threw out two of three runners attempting to steal and was 1 for 3 with a double.

“I’ll go down to see him Sunday night,” Angel Manager Gene Mauch said. “If he can play 35 or 36 innings defensively, get himself 25 times at bat and get over the usual spring training stiffness, my guess is that he’d be ready to rejoin us in Detroit.”

The Angels will play a three-game series in Detroit May 11-13.

Boone has been working out at El Dorado High School in Placentia for the last two months.

“Physically, condition-wise, I’m probably in the best shape of my life,” he said. “There were a lot of things to inspire me to work hard. I’m looking at this as my greatest challenge--to play at the major league level without spring training. I’m excited and stimulated by the challenge.”

Boone can’t say the same for the events that led to such a challenge.

“Have I enjoyed this experience? No, not at all,” he said. “I would not recommend that anybody go through what I went through.”