Joyner Arrives Ready to Play . . . and Talk

With his salary negotiations at a standstill, Angel first baseman Wally Joyner made the drive here from his Placentia home Saturday, arriving in camp without a signed contract but with a lot to say.

Having had ample time to prepare a statement during his three-day quasi-holdout, Joyner reported to the Angels’ spring training complex fully equipped, opening a discussion with reporters by pulling out a yellow legal pad and reading from his own handwriting.

“I have decided to report to spring training because I feel I must uphold the statement that I made last week,” Joyner read. “I said that I would report to spring training when I had a contract or when negotiations were closer.

“In actuality, negotiations are not close, but have stopped completely. Therefore, my feeling is that I could either report today (Saturday) or Tuesday and will be renewed at the Angels’ last offer. I feel like I owe this next season to my teammates and to the fans--and I will do my part not to let a contract disagreement affect the outcome.”

Joyner, whose most recent proposal to the Angels calls for a one-year contract for “less than $400,000,” will, in all likelihood, have his contract renewed by Angel General Manager Mike Port on Tuesday. According to baseball rules, the Angels can renew Joyner for up to a 20% cut of his 1987 salary ($165,000 base) but are expected to renew him at their latest offer of $340,000.

Joyner remains one year shy of qualifying for arbitration and admitted he had little leverage during his 1988 negotiations.

“I understand the business side of my rights this year,” Joyner continued to read from his statement, “and that is why I was hoping that the management, along with myself, could both take the high road together and solve this problem. . . .

“This was a difficult month that has just passed, but I will try and put this all behind me--knowing that, hopefully, this is the last year my hands are tied.”

In other words, Wally can’t wait for ’89.

But to produce the type of numbers likely to impress an arbitrator next February, Joyner knows the importance of a full spring’s worth of preparation.

“My rights and my leverage are not that great right now,” Joyner said after putting away his notepad. “Why ruin your third year over a small amount of money?

“I realize the business side of my situation, and it’s in my best interests to prepare now for this year.”

Last week, Joyner said he would not report without a contract because he didn’t want to risk injury and thus, to his thinking, be left at a greater disadvantage in negotiations.

Joyner remains at that risk for at least three more days but said: “I’m here now because we’re close enough in negotiations and to the legal reporting date (March 1). . . . You’ll see the benefits from my being here now.”

Port has set a March 3 deadline for contract signings, which gives Joyner five more days to negotiate. But Joyner suspects his contract will be automatically renewed.

“The negotiations are just stalled,” he said. “In actuality, I gave the Angels my lowest numbers possible--lower than I ever expected to get. I thought they were very reasonable.

“Hopefully, someday in the near future, I can use the Safeway slogan. What do they say--’Work an honest day, get an honest deal?’ ”

With Joyner in camp, Port was asked if he had won this latest round of negotiations.

“What was there to be won?” Port asked. “There was never anything to be won. That’s part of the misinformation people have been getting.

“This is not a Mike Port vs. Wally Joyner scenario--no more so than it’s a Mike Port vs. Jack Howell or a Mike Port vs. Vinicio Cedeno scenario.”

Howell and Cedeno have also not signed this season.

Port, with tongue planted in cheek, did say he was glad Joyner reported for one reason.

“I can now stop my petition for an official name change,” Port said. “The courts were going to approve it on Monday--’Jarrett the Cruel.’ ”

Angel Manager Gene Mauch was also pleased with the belated arrival of his first baseman, but he wanted to leave most of the afternoon’s commentary to Joyner.

“Wally will tell you all you want to know,” Mauch said. “Just call this The Wally Joined Us Story.”

Angel Notes

Back spasms are not contagious but two days after they felled pitcher Dan Petry, 40-year-old catcher Bob Boone had to abort Saturday’s workout for the same reason. “The catchers were fielding bunts, and Boone felt a little twinge,” Angel Manager Gene Mauch said. “He says he felt it coming on a little bit. He was having a little stiffness the last couple of days.” Angel trainers regard Boone’s injury as considerably less serious than Petry’s. “He wanted to go back out there today, but the trainers decided to shut him down,” Mauch said. “When you enter your fifth decade, you have to feel some things like that.” . . . Petry Update: His condition was reported as unchanged Saturday and he is scheduled to undergo an MRI scan Monday at Desert Samaritan Hospital in Mesa. An MRI scan is an X-ray similar to a CAT scan, only without the radiation. It is frequently used in back examinations. . . . For the second straight year, the Angels will play a charity game today against a group of local businessmen paying for the privilege. Mauch, the purest of baseball purists, is not keen on such exercises but relented last spring when told the game would be played for charity. “And they were so nice to us last year, they trapped us into it again this year,” Mauch joked. All Angel position players are required to participate, but Mauch will not risk any of his pitchers.