Padres Won’t Change Gwynn’s 3-Year Pact

The Padres will not renegotiate the final three years of all-star outfielder Tony Gwynn’s contract, Jack McKeon, Padre manager, vice president/baseball operations, said Sunday night, and will not adhere to public pressure.

McKeon, continuing to back the guidelines set by Padre owner Joan Kroc, also said Sunday that the Padres will not alter their policy of offering contracts longer than three years to any player.

“We have a club policy, and that will continue,” McKeon said. “There wasn’t any renegotiations in the past, and there won’t be any renegotiations in the future.

“If a player signs a contract, then they have to live up to it.

“Hey, if I renegotiate one contract, I’ll have to renegotiate them all. And that’s just not going to happen.”

Gwynn, a four-time batting champion, will be the seventh-highest paid player on the team in 1990, earning $1 million. His salary rises to $2 million in 1991 and the club has an option for $2 million in 1992. Yet, even with the salary raises beginning in 1991, he still will be paid less than center fielder Joe Carter, who was acquired last week by the Padres.

Besides Carter, Gwynn will be paid less five other teammates in 1990: first baseman Jack Clark ($2 million in 1990), pitcher Bruce Hurst ($1.6 million), pitcher Craig Lefferts (three years, $5.3 million), pitcher Eric Show ($1.2 million) and pitcher Ed Whitson (1.025 million). None of the five players have made the All-Star team since joining the Padres.

“He’s the one who signed it,” McKeon said. “He’s the one who got the security. We’re not going to be changing it.”

The Padres recently relented in their three-year contract policy when they offered Cy Young free-agent reliever Mark Davis a four-year, $12 million contract. But when Davis and his agents turned it down, asking for a five-year deal, Kroc told McKeon to abandon negotiations, and do whatever it takes to fill the void.

McKeon went out and signed free-agent reliever Lefferts of the San Francisco Giants to a three-year, $5.35 million offer, and while he was at it, finalized the Carter trade and signed free-agent left fielder Fred Lynn of the Detroit Tigers.

“I keep hearing all this criticism about losing Mark Davis,” McKeon said. “Hey, don’t blame Mrs. Kroc or anyone else. The fans of San Diego should be proud of her efforts. She made him a fabulous offer, and even made an exception to the club policy for him.

“It’s the first time we ever offered a four-year deal since ’83. She offered him lifetime security. She even offered to meet him face-to-face two times.

“They’re the ones who turned it all down. It’s their loss, not ours.

“I totally support her. She made every effort to strengthen the club, and she allowed me to make trades and sign free agents worth more than $15 million to ensure that the fans of San Diego will be well represented by the ballclub.

“How can you be blamed for that?”

Kroc put the club up for sale at the end of the season, and said that negotiations are in the final stages. The sale of the club is imminent, she said, and is hoping to announce a new owner by the end of the month.