Spring Training Roundup : Tartabull to Royals: ‘Pay Me or Trade Me’

Danny Tartabull suggested Monday that it might be best for all concerned if the Kansas City Royals trade him.

Tartabull, one of baseball’s budding stars who has no leverage in contract negotiations because he hasn’t been in the major leagues three years and can’t go to arbitration, hasn’t reported to training camp in Haines, Fla.

“If they don’t feel I’m that important to their team, then send me to a team that does,” Tartabull said. “My market value is very high right now. I just want to be treated fairly, so if they don’t want me, trade me. I want to play ball.”

Tartabull, who hit .309 with 34 home runs and 101 runs batted in last year, could be fined if he doesn’t show up by Wednesday, but he’s in no hurry to report.

The 25-year-old Tartabull made $145,000 last season, his first with the Royals and second in the majors, and is asking for $425,000, down from $550,000. The Royals have increased their offer by $100,000 to $325,000.

“They can’t make us trade him,” Royal General Manager John Schuerholz said, adding that Tartabull’s contract will be automatically renewed today if he doesn’t report.

Tartabull’s representatives are upset that the Royals recently offered $800,000 to Carlton Fisk, the veteran free-agent catcher, and $375,000 to another veteran, Don Baylor, who signed with Oakland.

“If the Royals were out of money and said they couldn’t afford to pay Danny any more, I’d say, ‘OK, I can live with that,’ ” said Dennis Gilbert, Tartabull’s agent. “But obviously they have money left over in their operating budget. Why else would they be offering Fisk and Baylor all this money?”

Five days after vowing not to attend Texas Rangers’ spring training camp at Port Charlotte, Fla., without a contract, outfielder Ruben Sierra showed up at camp and said he will not fight the team’s plans to renew his contract of $215,000 for 1988.

Sierra, 22, in the same boat as Tartabull, batted .263 with 30 home runs and 109 RBIs last year, wanted a $250,000 base salary.

The Rangers reportedly offered Sierra $215,000 plus incentive bonuses of $10,000. The team plans to renew contracts of any unsigned players today, 10 days before the major league deadline.

“They’re going to make me sad (if they renew the contract), but it won’t make me mad,” Sierra said.

Andre Dawson’s agent, Dick Moss, arrived in the Chicago Cubs’ camp at Mesa, Ariz., to discuss a possible multiyear contract.

Dawson, the National League’s most valuable player in 1987, lost an arbitration ruling earlier this month and will be paid $1.85 million--not the $2 million he requested for 1988. But the Cubs and Dawson will forget that deal if both sides can reach an agreement that lasts for more than one season.

Dawson, who once said he wanted to finish his career with the Cubs, recently indicated he may sign with another team when he becomes a free agent after this season.

Ray Knight reported to the Detroit Tigers in Lakeland, Fla., and said he welcomed Saturday’s trade that brought him from the Baltimore Orioles.

“I respect (Detroit’s) talent, and after going through last year, it’s a nice change,” said Knight. “I liked the city (Baltimore) and the club, but I hate to lose,” Knight said. “I’m a terrible loser.”

Knight, 35, played 150 games for Baltimore last season, batting .256 with 14 homers and 65 RBIs. But the Orioles flopped, finishing in sixth place in the American League East, 31 games behind division champion Detroit.

Center fielder Milt Thompson signed a one-year contract worth $240,000 with the Philadelphia Phillies and began workouts at Clearwater, Fla.

Thompson led the Phillies with a .302 average and 46 stolen bases last season. Bonuses for making the All-Star game and winning a Gold Glove could increase his salary.

Thompson reportedly sought $330,000, and the Phillies wanted to pay him $210,000.