Yankees Ordered to Pay Angels $200,000

The New York Yankees today were ordered to pay $200,000 to the California Angels and were fined $25,000 by Commissioner Fay Vincent for owner George Steinbrenner’s tampering with Dave Winfield after a trade in May.

The decision was released while Vincent was holding a hearing to ask Steinbrenner about his relationship with gambler Howard Spira.

Vincent found that comments Steinbrenner made during a meeting with Winfield on May 14, three days after the trade was made, were “clearly improper.”

“Mr. Steinbrenner’s statement that Mr. Winfield would be welcomed back to the Yankees if he won the arbitration and should play on a full-time basis was clearly improper,” Vincent said. “It follows, therefore, that Mr. Steinbrenner’s improper statements harmed the Angels’ bargaining position.”

Winfield had threatened to block the trade and take the matter to arbitration. Four days after the deal that sent Mike Witt to the Yankees was made, it was officially completed when Winfield accepted a three-year, $9-million contract extension and agreed to go to the Angels.

“Although the Angels failed to offer evidence which would properly measure their damages, they have demonstrated some degree of harm,” Vincent said.

The fine is payable to the Major League’s Central Fund.