Coleman, Mets Join Baseball’s Gold Rush

Even as baseball’s owners were approving a collusion settlement requiring each club to send the Major League Players Assn. a check for almost $11 million, they maintained a spending spree that has turned that conspiracy into a distant memory.

The two biggest expenditures Wednesday: the Milwaukee Brewers re-signed pitcher Ted Higuera for $13 million over four years, and the New York Mets acquired free-agent left fielder Vince Coleman for $11.95 million over four years.

“It’s illogical, it’s foolhardy,” Met General Manager Frank Cashen said of the market madness. “As a businessman, it makes no sense, but as (San Francisco Giant President) Al Rosen says, that’s the market, the way it is.

“I mean, I could be self-righteous and say I won’t participate, but I’d probably self-righteous myself right into last place.”

In other major signings Wednesday, the final business day of the winter meetings:

--The Atlanta Braves, still tied to the $5.6-million contract they gave Nick Esasky last winter but fearful he may never play again because of a vertigo condition, signed free-agent first baseman Sid Bream, formerly of the Pittsburgh Pirates, for three years at $5.5 million.

--The Brewers, looking for a right fielder, also signed free-agent Franklin Stubbs, formerly of the Houston Astros, for three years at $6 million.

--The Cincinnati Reds, outspending the Dodgers, confirmed that they had re-signed free-agent infielder Bill Doran for three years and an option at $7.4 million.

--The Toronto Blue Jays, having already made an uncharacteristic foray into free agency with their signing of pitcher Ken Dayley and retention of infielder Rance Mulliniks, also signed utility player Pat Tabler of the New York Mets for two years at $1.6 million.

There were also these trades:

--The Blue Jays and the San Diego Padres consummated a blockbuster in which Toronto exchanged first baseman Fred McGriff and shortstop Tony Fernandez for outfielder Joe Carter and second baseman Roberto Alomar.

--The Giants, having poured $33 million into free-agent outfielder Willie McGee and pitchers Dave Righetti and Bud Black, unloaded a $1.45-million 1991 commitment by trading relief pitcher Steve Bedrosian to the Minnesota Twins for minor league pitcher Johnny Ard and a player to be named. The acquisition of Bedrosian may make Rick Aguilera, who saved 32 games in his first year of relief, a starter again for Minnesota.

Predictably, these meetings turned into a showcase for free agents. Seventeen, starting with outfielder Kirk Gibson’s agreement with the Kansas City Royals, came to terms in a five-day span for a total of $115 million.

“Hit .220 today and they’ll give you a parade in your hometown,” Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda said, suggesting that mediocrity pays.

Said a facetious Sandy Alderson, the Oakland Athletics’ general manager, as he alluded to the $6.35-million contract that pitcher Matt Young signed Monday with the Boston Red Sox:

“When a guy can win nine games in three years and earn a $2-million-a-year average the next three, you got to be kidding me.

“I mean, Bob Welch won 61 games in those three years. If you divide nine into 61, that comes out to about seven. I guess we’re willing to go to $14 million a year with Bobby, but that’s it, the absolute limit.”

The escalation may not reach $14 million a year, but it figures to continue, because several top free agents remain unsigned, including Welch, Zane Smith, George Bell, Tom Brunansky, Juan Samuel and Fernando Valenzuela.

In addition, 15 more will become new-look free agents as a result of the $280-million collusion settlement that was approved, 25-1, with only the Houston Astros objecting. The executive board of the players’ association also is expected to approve it at their meeting in Orlando, Fla., today.

The new-look process could begin as soon as Monday, with the 15 players expected to receive six to eight weeks to test the market, retaining the option of returning to their current teams if they don’t sign elsewhere.

Among the 15 are Brett Butler, Dave Henderson, Jack Clark, Gary Gaetti, Dave Smith, Jack Morris, Danny Darwin and the Angels’ Chili Davis.

“As a baseball guy, I don’t like it,” Atlanta General Manager John Schuerholz said of the spiraling salaries, “but it’s the age of acquisition. If you’re interested in assembling the best talent, one of the prevalent avenues is free agency.”

The agreement with Bream followed the Braves’ recent signing of third baseman Terry Pendleton for $10.2 million. It’s a game that Pittsburgh, defending champion of the National League East, is finding difficult to play.

The departure of Bream follows the loss of free-agent outfielder R.J. Reynolds to Japan. The Pirates could still lose Smith, Don Slaught, Gary Redus and Wally Backman as free agents.

Club President Carl Barger, a critic of the inflationary signings, said the Pirates came up about $700,000 short with Bream and he was disappointed about that and “everything that has happened here.”

Barger added: “We chased Sid as far as we could. I don’t know if it’s fatal, but it’s a blow, a loss. Sid is a great glove, a great leader, but we also had to consider that his knee was operated on three times in 1989.”

The Cardinals, who will play rookie Bernard Gilkey in left field, went to four years and about $10.5 million in a bid to keep Coleman, whose departure follows that of McGee and Pendleton.

“Our fans can take consolation in the fact that we made a strong effort (to retain Coleman),” Manager Joe Torre said. “But we were up against a club that had lost Darryl Strawberry and was determined to replace him some way.”

Cashen disputed that, saying he would have pursued Coleman and his “aura of excitement” even if Strawberry had stayed, citing the Mets’ lack of speed and a leadoff hitter.

Met Manager Bud Harrelson said Kevin McReynolds will move to right field, and Mark Carreon and Darryl Boston will play center.

Harrelson called the fleet Coleman an offense by himself. “It gives us the latitude of not having to wait for the home run,” he said. “If we’re a run down in the ninth, Coleman has a chance to get it back by himself. And with our pitching, people have to look at Coleman leading off a game and be scared.”

The Reds’ signing of Doran closed a door on the Dodgers. Executive Vice President Fred Claire said the Reds obviously felt better about certain aspects of Doran’s recovery from back surgery than did the Dodgers.

“We had him examined in L.A., and our doctors said they would like to see him again at a later date,” Claire said, denying he had made a three-year, $5-million offer.

“We talked to Bill’s agent about structuring a contract around the number of games he might play,” Claire said, “and I understand why he would take the larger guarantee (from Cincinnati). I consider the risk of $5 million or $7 million a serious consideration.”

In the wake of a $26.6-million commitment to Strawberry and pitcher Kevin Gross, Claire also said he doesn’t want to make a habit of free agency, suggesting that while not closing the door, he is now more likely to seek a trade for a pitcher or a second baseman.

“We should have enough ingenuity to be able to do it that way,” Claire said, refusing to confirm speculation that he is definitely attempting to trade left fielder Kal Daniels.

Angel General Manager Mike Port, having replaced his underachieving center fielder, Devon White and responded to a need at second base, said he is still looking to improve at third base (with Gaetti?) and in the bullpen (where free agent Don Carman is believed to be a possibility), and may continue discussions with the Montreal Expos concerning outfielder Tim Raines.

“We’re going to be re-evaluating and reassessing that,” Port said.