24-Man Rosters Return : Baseball: Owners change their minds, decide teams will not carry 27 players and that starters will have to go five innings, not three, for a victory.

In a development that surprised both management and players, and seemed to threaten the era of improved relations before it had a chance to begin, the owners’ Player Relations Committee advised the 26 major league teams Wednesday that they are to open the 1990 baseball season with 24-player rosters.

It had been announced concurrent with the March 18 collective bargaining agreement that ended the owners’ 32-day spring training lockout that teams would be allowed to carry 27 players for the first 21 days of the regular season. That was an apparent attempt to minimize injuries and provide flexibility in the wake of a three-week training period.

But details of the roster agreement were not spelled out in the bargaining settlement, and representatives of the PRC and Major League Players Assn. were unable to hammer out the specifics.

In addition, the clubs were also advised Wednesday that there would be no change in the scoring rules for the first 21 days, meaning starting pitchers will still have to go a minimum of five innings to qualify for a victory.

It had been announced on March 21 that starters could qualify during the first three weeks by pitching only three innings. That change was reportedly advocated by the Dodgers’ Orel Hershiser and others as a safeguard against a pitcher risking injury by pushing to go five before being physically prepared.

It was apparently rescinded as the result of a firestorm of criticism from pitchers who questioned the disruption in the game’s statistical procedures and said they were confident most starters will be ready to go five innings or more by the April 9 start of the season.

Hershiser said Wednesday he was not disturbed to see the change rescinded.

“What bothers me is that the process seems to be backward,” he said. “We reached agreements on roster size and scoring, now both are rescinded. I’ll be interested to find out why.”

Charles O’Connor, the PRC general counsel, was said to be on vacation Wednesday and unavailable for comment.

Bill Murray, a member of commissioner Fay Vincent’s staff, said only that both sides thought they had an agreement but couldn’t complete the specifics.

Gene Orza, associate general counsel of the union, said that under the new bargaining agreement any player who is out of options and is outrighted to the minors for a second time can immediately declare free agency.

The roster agreement broke down over this issue, he said. Specifically:

--The clubs asked the union to waive the outright rule for the 25th, 26th and 27th players, and the union refused.

--The union asked the clubs to identify the 25th, 26th and 27th players at the start of the 21-day period so that they couldn’t later change their minds because of salary or waiver considerations, and the clubs refused, saying they couldn’t identify the 25th, 26th and 27th players that soon and that, if they did, the player might feign injury to go on the disabled list and extend his major league service time and salary.

Said Orza: “It’s a classic example of losing sight of the forest for the trees. I mean, for four months they talked about the need for a better relationship, then at the first opportunity they say, ‘Let’s see if we can get something that helps us and hurts you.’ They seem to have a strange sense of romance. Why do they tie the issue of control over players to the issue of safety (as reflected by the expanded roster)?”

Tim Belcher, the Dodgers’ player representative, placed blame on the clubs and said he was amazed again by the irrational thinking.

“How much are three more players going to cost compared to the cost of a serious injury, and this is going to put a lot of pitchers and catchers at risk,” he said. “Wait until the first $3-million pitcher drops because the bullpen was thin, his adrenaline was pumping, and he was trying to stretch it.

“It’s a good thing they’ve made a second trainer mandatory (for each club.)”

Asked if he thought a player might feign injury to prolong his service time, Belcher shook his head and said: “You mean that with the number of team doctors we now have they couldn’t tell if a player was dogging it?

“Ridiculous. I mean, that kind of thinking just adds to the confusion in the relationship (between the union and management.)”

Fred Claire, the Dodgers’ executive vice president, said that until receiving the PRC directive late Wednesday afternoon he had been under the assumption that clubs would carry 27 players.

He cited a conference call between the PRC office and the 26 clubs shortly after the collective settlement and said: “I was certainly led to believe there was consideration, if not finalization, being given to the three extra players because even the 21-day time period was mentioned.”

He said he was disappointed to hear that the change had been rescinded because he felt there was valid reason for carrying the extra players, but he added that he was also encouraged and pleased by the condition of his pitching staff and was confident it would be able to handle the stress of a shorter spring and smaller roster.

The Dodgers had indicated they would probably carry 12 pitchers among the 27 players, with Don Aase and Jim Neidlinger thought to be among the leading candidates for the extra spots. Now, with the likelihood of a 10- or 11-man staff, each faces a more difficult task.

Manager Tom Lasorda put on his best game face, citing the ability of pitchers to respond to previous work stoppages and/or holdouts that reduced their preparations.

“Why would we need those three extra guys anyway?” Lasorda said. “The reason to do it was out of the belief they wouldn’t be in shape, but I think they will be. I’m not saying that the pitchers will be ready to go nine, but I think they might be ready to go seven, then you’ve got your relievers.”

Angel General Manager Mike Port seemed to share Claire’s surprise, saying it was his understanding that the 27-man roster had already been agreed to.

“Regarding the people who are marginal, it will force us to make those decisions sooner, which may be to the club’s and players’ disadvantage,” he said.

Manager Doug Rader said he probably would have carried a 13-man pitching staff for the first 21 days. And now, he said, he will probably carry 11.

“Our flexibility wouldn’t be affected, but our depth would be,” he said.