Higuera Spurns Padres for Four-Year Contract

The Padres’ euphoria over their blockbuster trade Wednesday afternoon was subdued by nightfall when free-agent pitcher Teddy Higuera rejected their offer and re-signed with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Higuera signed a four-year, $13-million contract with the Brewers, turning down the Padres’ offer of three years and an option worth about the same amount.

The Padres were believed to be the leading candidate to sign Higuera, but when the Brewers raised their contract offer Tuesday to guarantee the fourth year, the Padres refused to match.

“We gave it all we had,” McIlvaine said, “but it all came down to the guarantee. I’m not getting into four years with pitchers. If that costs us pitchers, so be it.

“There is insanity in the game, but I only want to have a small part of it.”

When reached at his home in Los Mochis, Mexico, Higuera said: “San Diego wanted me very much, but the contract was for three years. Four years is a big difference for me.”

Harry Dalton, Brewer general manager, said the Brewers were forced to provide the fourth year of the contract. If they didn’t, he said, Higuera likely would be in a Padre uniform today. The Brewers will pay Higuera a $1 million signing bonus, $2.5 million in 1991, $3.25 million in 1992, $3 million in 1993 and $3.25 million in 1994.

“We believe the Southern California clubs are our biggest compeitition anyway,” Dalton said. “It’s close to home for him, and he had some appeal. Plus he would be a big box-office attraction.”

Said Bud Selig, Brewer owner: “We spent more time agonizing on Teddy Higuera than any single player in the 22-year history of the Brewers. The stakes are unblievable, but we felt we had to do it.”

Higuera’s decision leaves the Padres with a vacancy in their starting rotation, but perhaps more damaging is that they don’t have the use of starter Greg Harris for trade bait.

“We still have plenty of other things we want to get done,” McIlvaine said. “We have some holes to fuill.”

The Padres, who also have holes at third base, second base and left field, still are involved in trade discussions with the Kansas City Royals in an attempt to acquire outfielder Danny Tartabull.

The Padres, according to sources, have offered to trade Bip Roberts to the Royals in exchange for Tartabull. It would provide the Padres with an everyday power-hitting left fielder, and the Royals with the leadoff hitter they desire.

But, McIlvaine said, the Royals might be reluctant to trade Tartabull until the conclusion of the NFL season. The Royals apparently want to make sure outfielder Bo Jackson finishes the Raiders season healthy, enabling them to trade Tartabull without the risk of also being without Jackson.

The Padres also had trade discussions with the Montreal Expos about outfielder Tim Raines, with the Baltimore Orioles about third baseman Craig Worthington and with the Boston Red Sox about right-handed reliever Wes Gardner.

ALOMAR’S CAREER

YR TEAM AVG G AB H 2B 3B HR RBI SB 1988 San Diego .266 143 545 145 24 6 9 41 24 1989 San Diego .295 158 623 184 27 1 7 56 42 1990 San Diego .287 147 586 168 27 5 6 60 24 3 Seasons .283 448 1,754 497 78 12 22 157 90

CARTER’S CAREER

YR TEAM AVG G AB H 2B 3B HR RBI SB 1983 Chi. (NL) .176 23 51 9 1 1 0 1 1 1984 Cleveland .275 66 244 67 6 1 13 41 2 1985 Cleveland .262 143 489 128 27 0 15 51 13 1986 Cleveland .302 162 663 200 36 9 29 121 29 1987 Cleveland .264 149 588 155 27 2 32 106 31 1988 Cleveland .271 157 621 168 36 6 27 98 27 1989 Cleveland .243 162 651 158 32 4 35 105 13 1990 Padres .232 162 634 147 27 1 24 115 22 8 Seasons .262 1,024 3,941 1,032 192 24 175 646 149

MCGRIFF’S CAREER

YR TEAM AVG G AB H 2B 3B HR RBI SB 1986 Toronto .200 3 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 1987 Toronto .247 107 295 73 16 0 20 43 3 1988 Toronto .282 154 536 151 35 4 34 82 6 1989 Toronto .269 161 551 148 27 3 36 92 7 1990 Toronto .300 153 557 167 21 1 35 88 5 5 Seasons .278 578 1,944 540 99 8 125 305 21

FERNANDEZ’S CAREER

YR TEAM AVG G AB H 2B 3B HR RBI SB 1983 Toronto .265 15 34 9 1 1 0 2 0 1984 Toronto .270 88 283 63 5 3 3 19 5 1985 Toronto .289 161 564 163 31 10 2 51 13 1986 Toronto .310 163 687 213 33 9 10 65 25 1987 Toronto .322 146 578 186 29 8 5 67 32 1988 Toronto .287 154 648 186 29 8 5 70 15 1989 Toronto .257 140 573 147 25 9 11 64 22 1990 Toronto .276 161 635 175 27 17 4 66 71 8 Seasons .289 1,028 3,952 1,142 180 65 40 404 138