Baseball : Contract Squabble, Not Traffic, Caused Lynn to Miss Deadline

It was not rush-hour traffic between Anaheim Stadium and Ontario Airport, as he claimed, that prevented Fred Lynn from joining the Detroit Tigers in time to be eligible for the American League playoffs, if the Tigers get that far.

It was Lynn’s greed.

Already guaranteed $1.55 million in salary next year, Lynn first rejected being traded from the Baltimore Orioles because the Tigers reportedly had offered “only” $150,000 for him to waive the no-trade provision in his contract.

It was not until the figure was increased to $250,000 that he agreed to the trade. The Orioles, who had already agreed to pick up $400,000 of Lynn’s remaining salary, also agreed to kick in the extra $100,000 of buyout money.

First, however, they had to get permission from the commissioner’s office to exceed the $400,000 ceiling.

That took several hours, eventually costing Lynn the chance to catch a commercial flight that would have put him in Chicago, where the Tigers were playing, long before the Wednesday midnight deadline for playoff eligibility.

Instead, he arrived 10 minutes late, having driven a rental car through rush-hour traffic to Ontario, then boarding a private jet that the Tigers had chartered for $9,800.

Lynn compared it all to “Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.”

Of his playoff eligibility, Manager Sparky Anderson said, “I’m not worried about that, let’s get there first.”

A lack of offense and a siege of injuries prompted the need for Lynn, who, as an opponent of the Tigers had driven in 56 runs in 73 games in Tiger Stadium. In a five-day span last week, the Tigers lost seven players for various periods, including shortstop Alan Trammell with a groin pull that was expected to sideline him for five to seven days, pitcher Jeff Robinson with a circulatory problem that may put him out for the season, and pitcher Frank Tanana, who skipped a start because of shoulder weakness.

Talented, but often sidelined for inexplicable reasons, Lynn had appeared in only 87 of 131 Orioles games this year and had missed 183 games in three-plus seasons with the Orioles.

He viewed the trade, however, as an elixir and said he hoped to remain in Detroit beyond 1989.

“I’m with a contender and want to stay with a contender,” he said. “As long as my mind is in the game, I can play forever.”

Or as long as the price is right.

The Tigers had a much easier time getting pitcher Ted Power, acquired on the same day from the Kansas City Royals, to Chicago. There was no buyout involved, and the super-saver fare from Kansas City was only $34.

The pride of the Yankees? Lou Gehrig wouldn’t recognize it. New York’s season continues to disintegrate amid bad pitching and lots of complaining.

Yankee starters, in 46 games since the All-Star break, were 12-21 with a 6.11 earned-run average through Thursday. Much has been written about that and Don Mattingly’s accusation that owner George Steinbrenner created a negative atmosphere and lack of respect for the players.

Then, in Seattle the other day, third baseman Mike Pagliarulo took aim at Manager Lou Piniella, saying there was a lack of leadership and consistent discipline, and that what the Yankees seemed to need again was a clubhouse enforcer like Don Baylor.

No sooner had Pags popped off than John Candelaria and Jack Clark said they hope to be traded. Clark, his playing time reduced by the acquisition of Ken Phelps, said he would like to move to a California team.

“It hasn’t worked out for me here,” Clark said. “It isn’t any fun. I’m not demanding to be traded, but I’d like to go to California. The season has broken down.”

Reacting to the turmoil, including an apology by Pagliarulo, a disgusted Piniella said, “Give me some players, not moaners and whiners.”

And the Yankees finally made a pitching move, though not one designed to save a season. Cecilio Guante went to the Texas Rangers for Dale Mohorcic, who was 2-0 with a 0.39 ERA in his first 15 appearances this year and a staggering 0-6 over his last 29 innings, during which he allowed 27 earned runs.

Said Mohorcic of the Yankees: “I’m just trying to figure out why they wanted me.”

Amid rumors that the St. Louis Cardinals are willing to trade Ozzie Smith, Tony Pena and Greg Mathews for Mattingly, the Cardinals followed up their trade of John Tudor by sending another pitcher, veteran Bob Forsch, to the Houston Astros for Denny Walling.

The St. Louis rotation now consists of Jose De Leon and five pitchers who remain on the disabled list or who have been on it at some point this year: Scott Terry, Joe Magrane, Danny Cox, Cris Carpenter and Mathews.

The word is that the Cardinals are geared to pursue free agents and are hoping that two eligible pitchers go that route--Bruce Hurst of the Boston Red Sox and Mike Moore of the Seattle Mariners. Both grew up within earshot of the Cardinals’ Mid-America radio network.

This was probably the last chance for the Cardinals to get something for Forsch, 38, and to give him a last shot with a contender. No one will miss him more than trainer Gene Gieselmann, whose locker was next to Forsch’s for 12 years.

“I spent more time with Bob than with either of my two wives,” Gieselmann said.

Pedro Guerrero update: The Dodgers won 11 of their first 15 games after his departure, averaging just 3.6 runs a game while benefiting from the work of a pitching staff that held opponents to 2 runs or fewer in 10 of the 15.

The Cardinals, in that span, went 10-5 as Guerrero hit .321, drove in 12 runs and was 8 for 13 with runners in scoring position. The surge brought Guerrero to .302 before a weekend series in Houston, and he said: “I hate to see my numbers get down to .280 or .290. I think I was born to hit .300.”

Guerrero’s bat is contributing in another way as well. Jose Oquendo began using it when Guerrero arrived, and Oquendo hit 4 homers in a span of 41 at-bats over the last two weeks. He had hit 2 homers in 903 trips before this season.

There are those who claim that the American League West has finally gained parity with the East. They point to the West’s 277-270 advantage over the East at the start of September. The statistics are misleading, however.

The advantage has been built solely by the Oakland Athletics and Minnesota Twins. The five other Western teams all had sub-.500 records against the East through Thursday. The Athletics were 51-24 against the East, the Twins 47-37.

The Red Sox would be happy to reach the playoffs no matter where they play, but less confident, perhaps, returning to Oakland, where they were 0-6 this season and have won only 1 of their last 15 games there. Obviously believing the percentages have to change, Manager Joe Morgan reached Anaheim and said: “If we go back there, the odds will be in our favor. They’ll be in trouble.”

Of Anaheim, Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy reflected on Wade Boggs’ palimony problems and wrote that it is now known as “Margo-ritaville.”

The San Francisco Giants have made 70 player transactions this year, including 26 in August. The rotation remains riddled by injury, but just the other day Brett Butler ignored the hammering on the coffin and said: “It’s almost a funny feeling, but everyone still thinks it’s only a matter of time before we catch the Dodgers. There’s a lot of life on this club.”

You couldn’t tell it by the Giants’ latest excursion to Pennsylvania, where they completed their road work against the Phillies and Pirates with a 2-10 record.

Giant Manager Roger Craig’s comments that he wouldn’t want to see women umpiring in the majors because of the abusive language they would be exposed to drew this response from Herb Caen, the San Francisco Chronicle sage: “I’d like to support Roger, but all I can say is, ‘Dumm-baby.’ ”

Can Pittsburgh, suddenly struggling on offense, still catch the New York Mets in the National League East?

“It’s going to take a miracle,” Pirate Manager Jim Leyland said. “I’m the most positive guy there is, but I’m not an idiot. We’ve hit our way to 9 games out. We’ve seen some good pitching, but they’re not all Sandy Koufax.”

Andre Dawson waived his rights to renewed free agency when he signed a two-year contract with the Chicago Cubs for $1.85 million a year, but he may receive financial compensation as a result of the latest collusion decision.

“I certainly hope so,” he said. “I could use another fur.”

Of the many rookies who will make their major league debuts this month, none will do so amid as much anticipation as Gary Sheffield, the Milwaukee Brewers’ shortstop-third baseman.

Sheffield, 19, is Dwight Gooden’s nephew, and pedigree obviously means something. In 133 games at double-A El Paso and triple-A Denver this year, Sheffield batted .323 with 28 homers and 118 runs batted in. His confidence is equally impressive.

“I would have only been shocked if I’d had a mediocre season,” he said. “I don’t think it’s expecting too much to stay in the big leagues for good now.”

Of the torn rotator cuff that is threatening his career, third baseman Mike Schmidt of the Philadelphia Phillies said:

“At this point I’m not prepared to have surgery just to play one more year. Now, if they told me I’ll never swing a golf club again, I’d probably tell them to go in and fix it.”