Rick Dempsey Files for Free Agency

Catcher Rick Dempsey of the Dodgers was among nine major league players who filed for repeat free agency Friday when their clubs failed to offer them salary arbitration by the deadline of midnight Thursday.

Outfielder Brian Downing and pitcher Greg Minton of the Angels were among five other players who became eligible for repeat free agency but did not file. They have until Nov. 4 to submit their names.

Minton has announced his intention to retire but has not been placed on the voluntary retired list.

Others filing were first basemen-outfielders Danny Heep of Boston and Gary Ward of Detroit; catchers Rich Gedman of Houston and Bob Boone of Kansas City; second basemen Willie Randolph of Oakland and Wally Backman of Pittsburgh, and pitchers Tom Niedenfuer of St. Louis and John Candelaria of Toronto.

Those not filing although eligible, besides Downing and Minton, were Seattle first baseman-outfielder Ken Griffey Sr., San Diego outfielder Fred Lynn and San Francisco catcher Terry Kennedy.

Eleven other players filed for free agency, raising the free-agent total to 79. They were Chicago Cubs infielder Curtis Wilkerson; pitcher Steve Crawford, infielder Steve Jeltz and outfielder Willie Wilson of Kansas City; Milwaukee pitcher Paul Mirabella; pitcher Dan Schatzeder of the New York Mets; pitchers Jerry Reuss and Zane Smith and catcher Don Slaught of Pittsburgh; St. Louis infielder-outfielder Denny Walling, and Toronto third baseman Rance Mulliniks.