Cardinals Make Offer to Hurst

The silent bidder in the Bruce Hurst sweepstakes has finally spoken. The St. Louis Cardinals, as expected, barged through the door Thursday with an offer of $5.1 million over 3 years, crowding the free-agent pitcher’s vision and monetarily pushing the Padres back in the pack.

The Cardinals lead, followed by an improved offer of $5 million from Hurst’s current Boston team, followed by a $4.9 million offer from the Angels, followed by the Padres and their $4.7 million bid.

So the Padres are in fourth? Well, they don’t think so, and indications continue to support that feeling.

The Padres didn’t increase their offer, but interim President Dick Freeman had a pleasant conversation Thursday with Hurst’s agent, Nick Lampros, and the Padres still feel Hurst has narrowed his decision to them and the Red Sox.

“We have made no other offer, and at this time, we do not plan to,” Freeman said. “My impression is that we are still very much in it, and that there are other things involved here besides money.”

Lampros agreed that money was just one factor. “There are a lot more factors for Bruce, money is just one part of the deal,” Lampros said. “It is just one of the many things that are important to him.”

Hurst is spending the weekend at his parents’ home in St. George, Utah, where a Boston source says he is being influenced by things more powerful than money.

“His family really wants him to come to San Diego,” the source said. “That is how they are pushing.”

But the Cardinals offer an interesting incentive in that pitching coach Mike Roarke was Hurst’s minor-league pitching coach, and Hurst still seeks advice from him during the season.

Boston General Manager Lou Gorman put it best when he said, “I just don’t know what to do right now. I don’t know where it’s going to go from here.”