Dodgers Seek Gibson, Yankees Don’t

Two baseball clubs that had tried to trade for Kirk Gibson in December said they would take different approaches to Gibson’s availability as a free agent.

The New York Yankees said they would make no attempt to sign Gibson. The Dodgers said they would continue to talk with Gibson’s agent, Doug Baldwin.

“We do have an interest in Kirk and we’ll continue to discuss that interest,” Fred Claire, Dodger executive vice president, said, acknowledging that he had talked with Baldwin again Monday after making preliminary contact Sunday. Claire would not say whether he had made a specific contract proposal, nor whether Pedro Guerrero or Mike Marshall would have to be traded to make room for Gibson.

“Kirk Gibson is a talented player,” he said. “We have stressed that our goal is to improve the team. We’ve got some time before we would have to decide how all the pieces fit.”

Baldwin said that the Dodgers were showing “substantial interest,” but had yet to make an offer.

Meanwhile, the Yankees, in a statement released by General Manager Lou Piniella, said: “Our payroll is the highest in baseball as is. If we were to assume another super salary like Gibson’s, then we would probably have to move one of our present super salary players.”