McReynolds, Mets Avoid Arbitration, Agree on $975,000 One-Year Contract

Outfielder Kevin McReynolds avoided arbitration Monday by agreeing to a one-year, $975,000 contract with the New York Mets.

McReynolds, who had lost in arbitration the last two years, had requested $1.15 million in arbitration and the Mets had offered $875,000, but settlements by players with comparable statistics in recent days caused movement Monday.

Al Harazin, a Mets vice president, said the club had made an offer of $950,000 last week and that the $25,000 increase is what prompted McReynolds to settle.

“If I was looking from their side of the table, I could have drawn a much harder line,” said Tom Selakovich, the agent for McReynolds via telephone from St. Charles, Ill. “I think the $975,000 is a very fair settlement figure in light of what settlements have brought on the new market.”

Selakovich referred to agreements reached in the last week by Alvin Davis, Kirby Puckett and Juan Samuel. Davis settled with Seattle for $887,500; Puckett with Minnesota for $1.09 million and Samuel with Philadelphia for $1.06 million.

McReynolds had lost in arbitration in 1987 and 1986. He made $625,000 last year, when he had wanted $825,000, and $275,000 in 1986, when he had wanted $450,000.

McReynolds batted .276 in 1987 with 29 homers and 95 runs batted in. He was acquired by the Mets in December 1986 with pitcher Gene Walter for Kevin Mitchell and minor-leaguers Shawn Abner, Stanley Jefferson, Kevin Armstrong and Kevin Brown.