Port Increases Ryan, Hurst Offers, Says He’ll Go Higher

Responding to the recent mandate of owner Gene Autry, Angel General Manager Mike Port made sizable increases in his offers to free-agent pitchers Nolan Ryan and Bruce Hurst Monday and said he is willing to go higher.

Port, in fact, said he has told Dick Moss, who represents Ryan, and Nick Lampros, who represents Hurst, that he will not be outbid.

“There may be other factors, but we will not be outbid,” Port said. “The only way we will be outbid is if a club comes in at a figure so high as to make it unrealistic to stay in the competition.”

Club sources confirmed that Port raised his 3-year offer to Hurst from $4.9 million to $5.5 million. He earlier increased his one-year offer to Ryan from $1.5 million to $1.8 million, excluding incentives that would take it higher.

Are the Angels bidding against themselves?

Before the latest Angel offer, it was believed that Hurst was close to deciding between a 3-year, $4.7-million offer from the San Diego Padres and the continuing pressure from his own Boston Red Sox, who had previously made a 3-year, $5-million offer that they, too, are expected to increase today.

And Ryan--a rancher from Alvin, Tex., who is no longer considering the Houston Astros, for whom he has played since 1980--was thought to prefer the proximity of the Texas Rangers over a move to Anaheim or San Francisco, whose Giants have joined the bidding.

The Rangers on Monday raised their offer from a 1-year proposal for $1.2 million guaranteed to a 2-year proposal for $1.8 million guaranteed. They would pay him $1.4 million in 1989 and $1.6 million in 1990 with a $400,000 buyout option.

Would the Angels be willing to go to 2 years? Port answered affirmatively and said he told Ryan’s representatives that he would exceed the Texas offer if need be.

Ryan, reached late Monday night, said that he was considering the Angels, Rangers and Giants, that he hoped to make a decision in the next 48 hours and that he might come to the winter meetings here to meet with each club. It is thought that Hurst may also be on his way here to announce a decision today.