Leary Wins Arbitration Decision : Hershiser Hearing Scheduled for Today as Talks Remain Stalled

Dodger pitcher Tim Leary, in his first turn at bat in arbitration, hit a home run Wednesday when he won his case and was awarded a salary of $670,000, more than tripling his 1988 earnings.

Dodger efforts to sign Orel Hershiser to a multiyear contract, meanwhile, still appeared fruitless, with time running out. While the Dodgers’ other pitchers head for spring training today in Vero Beach, Fla., Hershiser is scheduled to remain behind for an arbitration hearing in a Los Angeles airport hotel.

Hershiser’s agent, Robert Fraley, spoke with Dodger officials Wednesday, but most of his time was spent preparing for today’s hearing, which will be conducted before arbitrator Stephen Goldberg.

Hershiser is believed to be seeking more than the $7.5 million Boston’s Roger Clemens agreed to in a three-year deal Wednesday, but the main obstacle to a multiyear deal remains contract language regarding a possible owners’ lockout in 1990.

Hershiser wants a guarantee that he will be paid in 1990 regardless of a possible lockout. The team wants an arbitrator to make that decision.

Hershiser is seeking $2.425 million in arbitration. The club is offering $2 million. Win or lose, the National League’s Cy Young Award winner will receive a minimum raise of $900,000.

“I’m one of the few folks who believe he needs to have a hearing,” Fraley said this week. “Because win or lose, I believe there will be a better deal out there next year.

“The issue of language is really silly. The team is not willing to do for Orel what it has done for other players, for some reason. That’s a little foolhardy, I think.”

Leary, 30, had a 17-11 record with a 2.91 earned-run average and struck out 180 batters in 228 2/3 innings last season, numbers that apparently swayed arbitrator Anthony Sinicropi to rule in his favor. The Dodgers had offered $525,000 to Leary, who didn’t hurt his case by batting .313 last season with three game-winning RBIs. His agent, Dennis Gilbert, and attorney Steve Schneider prepared his case.

“Sam Fernandez (the Dodgers’ counsel) called to congratulate us,” Gilbert said. “A class act. Both sides agreed Tim had a great year. We only disagreed on the money. Tim’s position on the whole thing was he was going to pitch for the Dodgers in 1989, regardless of what happened.”

Leary sat in on Wednesday’s hearing but did not play an active role.

“I was excited, I’ll tell you,” Leary said of the decision.

“It was a matter of picking the right number. If I’d picked a million, for example, I would have lost.

“It’s a hard-nosed business, no fooling around. You get edgy. I was edgy. It’s intensely competitive. (But) you get paid on the back end. They knew I had an outstanding year. If I’d been making a million last season, I think they would have been satisfied. So there’s no hard feelings.”