Time Is Big Money in Winfield’s Eyes

If it wasn’t quite a six-day war, it was close. At the very least, it was the longest dramatic pause in baseball history.

Nearly a week after the Angels posed the question, Dave Winfield said yes. Yes to the uniform change, yes to the address change, yes to the name change.

Now you know him as Dave Windfall.

Time is money, they say, but until now, no one had the exact figures. How much is cab fare to limbo? Probably less than the $9.1 million Winfield stands to make after shrewdly sitting out six days in May.

Winfield knew what he was doing when he didn’t do anything. He knew it was a seller’s market. The Angels did all the chasing in this one, which means all their practice in the American League West this season finally paid off.

From the start, the Angels were enamored with everything about Winfield, from his stature in the lineup to his stature in the clubhouse to his surname. Win. Field. Lately, the Angels haven’t done too much of either.

What Winfield wanted to know is what’s in it for Winfield. The Angels said a one-year contract extension, plus two option years. Total package: $9.1 million.

Besides that, the Angels told him, there were fringe benefits. Bonuses. Perks.

A partial listing . . .

Old Friends: The manager, Doug Rader, is a teammate from their San Diego Padre days. The vice president, Mike Port, was in the Padre front office at the same time, moving his way up the organization and through his first thesaurus. And the left fielder, Luis Polonia, shared Yankee pinstripes with Winfield as recently as a month ago.

Polonia has interesting opinions and when the Winfield trade-to-be-named-later was first announced last Friday, he wondered why the Angels would make such a deal. According to Polonia, Winfield can’t play the outfield anymore.

And, according to Andrew Dice Clay, Sam Kinison needs to clean up his act.

New Fans: OK, so they arrive late, leave early, eat moths, like Rally Bells and sometimes root for the wrong team.

Nobody’s perfect.

Still, Angel fans never require rabies shots and when they throw something on the field, a plastic beach ball is as bad as it gets.

No knives, no rocks, no nuts, no bolts, no Duracell batteries. Everyone gets out alive.

Improved Employee Relations: Meet the new boss. Not the same as the old Boss.

The old boss fires managers who win 90 games.

The new boss spends $16 million on pitchers who win 16 games.

The old boss fires general managers who fail to bring home the World Series.

The new boss promotes general managers who let Gold Glove catchers slip away for $1.

The old boss sues you.

The new boss woos you.

And if you don’t finish first, well, he thanks you for at least trying.

Familiar Scenery: In other words, right field.

Washington slept here. Chili was beaned here. Sacred ground, this is not.

Even if Winfield has lost a step, even if his glove is more rust than gold, even if his back goes out again, he will be welcome here.

Beautiful Working Facility: Otherwise known as Anaheim Stadium. Otherwise known as The House That The Rams Rebuilt. Just 33 pennants behind Yankee Stadium.

Not much history here--no brag, just fact--but that gives Winfield the opportunity to make some of his own. A rare opportunity too. How many of us are handed a clean slate at 38?

Winfield will notice that Anaheim Stadium has no monuments in the outfield. Never has. A few statues from time to time, but never any monuments.

Job Awareness Seminars: So you’re interested in a high-paying career in the exciting field of Angel outfielding? You’re not alone.

Talk with those who have been there. Chili Davis. Devon White. Dante Bichette. Luis Polonia. Max Venable.

Talk with those who still are there. Chili Davis. Devon White. Dante Bichette. Luis Polonia. Max Venable.

Try together to solve this puzzling brain-teaser: How does six go into three and keep everybody smiling and in the lineup?

Most likely, the trade for Winfield means another trade. The Angel outfield either needs a diamond lane or a couple less bodies, and right now, White’s name is making the rounds again. Port could trade him, but he shouldn’t trade him for Mookie Wilson and Nelson Liriano, the current hot rumor.

Even at .200, White ought to command a higher return than a pair of mid-sized Blue Jays.

Any more 10-5 guys out there? Give them six days and the Angels will give them the world.