Hershiser Asks for a Record $2.425 Million : Dodgers Counter at $2 Million, Another Arbitration High-Water Mark

Dodger pitcher Orel Hershiser, who earned $1.1 million last year, Thursday submitted a salary arbitration figure of $2.425 million, the highest since the process began in 1974.

“The numbers and the earthquake arrived at the same time,” Fred Claire, the Dodgers’ executive vice president, said Thursday, stretching the truth by several hours.

Hershiser was among 109 players who exchanged salary figures with their clubs Thursday morning. A total of 136 players had filed for arbitration, but 27 reached agreements with their clubs between Monday’s filing deadline and Thursday’s exchange date. Of the 109 still pursuing arbitration, 23 submitted salary figures of $1 million or more, including who are bidding for $2 million or more.

In addition to Hershiser, whose $2.425-million proposal was countered by a Dodger offer of $2 million, the highest offer by a club in the history of arbitration, those seeking $2 million are:

--Pitcher Roger Clemens of the Boston Red Sox, who made $1.5 million last year and filed at $2.36 million. The Red Sox countered at $1.9 million.

--Center fielder Kirby Puckett of the Minnesota Twins, who made $1.09 million last year and filed at $2.15 million. The Twins countered at $1.9 million.

--Pitcher Dwight Gooden of the New York Mets, who made $1.4 million last year and filed at $2.079 million. The Mets countered at $1.675 million.

The highest arbitration award, of $1.975 million, was received by New York Yankees first baseman Don Mattingly in 1987.

The highest figure any player previously submitted was $2.105 million, by George Bell of the Toronto Blue Jays last year. Bell reached an agreement with the Blue Jays before his arbitration hearing.

The highest figure any club previously submitted was $1.85 million, by the Chicago Cubs, who went on to win their 1988 arbitration with Andre Dawson, who was seeking $2 million.

Dawson, of course, didn’t exactly lose. His $1.35-million raise represented an arbitration record that Hershiser, seeking a raise of $1.325 million, could almost match.

So could Jose Canseco, the American League’s most valuable player. Canseco is seeking a $1.285-million raise from the $355,000 he was paid in his third season with the Oakland Athletics. Canseco came in at $1.64 million. The A’s countered at $1.3 million.

The arbitration hearings will be scheduled between Feb. 1 and 20. A player and club can continue negotiating until an arbitrator makes his decision.

For Hershiser and the Dodgers, however, the lines seem drawn.

Robert Fraley, the pitcher’s attorney, said Thursday that a compromise from $2.425 million was out of the question.

“Unless we can work out a long-term deal, I believe we’ll go to arbitration,” he said. “We did not file that number to compromise. We believe it’s representative of Orel’s value. We believe that on the basis of what he accomplished last year and on the basis of what the Dodgers draw in attendance and what they will earn from the new television contracts, it’s a reasonable number.”

If Hershiser receives it, only Eddie Murray, his new teammate, and St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Dan Quisenberry will earn more in 1989. Murray and Quisenberry, both under multiyear contracts, are scheduled to receive $2.5 million, though some of Murray’s is deferred.

Fraley would not call it an impasse, but he said that major differences remain in his negotiations with the Dodgers concerning a multiyear contract and that he hadn’t spoken to Claire in 2 days.

“I didn’t feel we were making enough progress to continue talking,” he said.

It is believed that Hershiser has informed the Dodgers that if he emerges from the current situation with only a 1-year contract, he will leave as a free agent after the 1989 season. Hershiser was not available for comment Thursday.

Neither Fraley nor Claire would discuss the specifics of their negotiations or comments made by Hershiser on a KFI radio show Tuesday night.

Hershiser said then that he wasn’t optimistic about the prospect of a multiyear contract, that he felt the club had misled him in certain unspecified ways and that he wasn’t excited “about what the future holds, other than the fact that we’re going to arbitration.”

It is believed he is seeking a 4- or 5-year contract between $10 million and $12 million.

The Dodgers are unlikely to go beyond 3 years, and Claire implied Thursday that the club’s $2-million arbitration offer is also the basis of its multiyear proposals.

“We’ll continue to explore and do what we can to reach an agreement, short of handing over a contract and saying, ‘Pick your number,’ ” Claire said.

He added that he can’t be governed by the possibility of Hershiser’s departure after the 1989 season and that he wasn’t shocked by the $2.425-million figure in the light of baseball’s current economics.

“Our focus has been on where we feel we should be as a club,” he said. “Orel had a record-breaking season, and we feel our offer reflects that. No club has ever submitted a $2-million figure. Our offer is one that should not get anyone upset.”

Claire exchanged arbitration figures with three other Dodgers Thursday and signed pitcher Ray Searage, who had filed for arbitration, to a 1-year contract at $141,000.

He will continue to negotiate with:

--Pitcher Tim Leary, who made $190,000 last year and filed at $670,000. The Dodgers countered at $525,000.

--Infielder Dave Anderson, who made $262,500 last year and filed at $450,000. The Dodgers countered at $375,000.

--Catcher Rick Dempsey, who made $250,000 last year and filed at $495,000. The Dodgers countered at $365,000.

Meanwhile, Angel General Manager Mike Port and arbitration negotiator Tal Smith also have their work cut out, facing seven arbitrations, though most seem within compromise range.

The one that doesn’t involves shortstop Dick Schofield, who filed at $910,000, contrasted with the Angels’ offer of $655,000. Schofield made $552,222 last season, when he led American League shortstops in fielding for a second straight year and continued to improve offensively.

Attorney Dan Grigsby said he hoped that Schofield would have been able to sign a multiyear contract in the neighborhood of the 3-year, $3.9-million contract that Scott Fletcher recently received from the Texas Rangers.

Grigsby pointed out that Schofield came in under that in his arbitration filing, but the Angels even came in under the $687,500 figure that Jose Uribe recently received from the San Francisco Giants.

“Dick’s more frustrated than angry,” Grigsby said. “The Angels are saying that his worth isn’t even half that of Fletcher’s. I don’t understand it. One of us is on the wrong page.”

Wally Joyner, who previously exchanged figures with the Angels, represents another problem, but Port may be able to reach accord with his other arbitration cases. They are:

--Outfielder Chili Davis, who made $850,000 last year and filed at $1.3 million. The Angels countered at $1 million.

--Pitcher Kirk McCaskill, who made $262,000 last year and filed at $430,000. The Angels countered at $350,000.

--Pitcher Greg Minton, who made $500,000 last year and filed at $690,000. The Angels countered at $600,000.

--Infielder Jack Howell, who made $200,000 last year and filed at $495,000. The Angels countered at $400,000.

--Catcher Darrell Miller, who made $107,500 last year and filed at $187,500. The Angels countered at $107,500.

$2-MILLION QUESTION

Arbitration requests of $2 million or more that were submitted Thursday, as obtained by Associated Press from player and management sources:

OREL HERSHISER

‘88 Salary Club Figure Player Figure $1,100,000 $2,000,000 $2,425,000 ROGER CLEMENS $1,500,000 $1,900,000 $2,360,000 KIRBY PUCKETT $1,090,000 $1,900,000 $2,150,000 DWIGHT GOODEN $1,400,000 $1,675,000 $2,079,000

DODGER ARBITRATION FIGURES

Player 1988 Salary Club Figure Player Figure Orel Hershiser $1,100,000 $2,000,000 $2,425,000 Tim Leary 190,000 525,000 670,000 Rick Dempsey 250,000 365,000 495,000 Dave Anderson 262,500 375,000 450,000

ANGEL ARBITRATION FIGURES

Player 1988 Salary Club Figure Player Figure Chili Davis $850,000 $1,000,000 $1,300,000 Greg Minton 500,000 600,000 690,000 Kirk McCaskill 262,000 350,000 430,000 Dick Schofield 552,222 655,000 910,000 Darrell Miller 107,500 107,500 187,500 Jack Howell 200,000 400,000 495,000