AROUND THE MAJORS : Vincent Won’t Let AL Block NL Expansion

Managing general partner George W. Bush of the Texas Rangers said Wednesday American League owners would attempt to block National League expansion if it does not get part of the money.

However, Commissioner Fay Vincent said he would step in if the AL attempts to block all expansion cities as a move to force the NL to give up part of the $190 million in expansion fees.

“There’s no history of sharing,” said Douglas D. Danforth, chairman of the Pittsburgh Pirates and head of the NL expansion committee.

Said Bush: “We want the money bad enough. Now I can’t speak for every team, but I guess it will end up in the commissioner’s hands.”

Vincent discounted Bush’s comments, saying: “I think George is not up to date on some developments. The decision has already been made by the two leagues to attempt to negotiate and resolve the issue of expansion revenue without dragging me into it.”

The NL intends to pick from among Buffalo, N.Y.; Denver; Miami; Orlando, Fla.; St. Petersburg, Fla., and Washington.

Rickey Henderson was missing and so were Jack Armstrong and Joe Oliver. But Kevin Brown and Kenny Rogers ended their walkouts after one day.

Wednesday was the official reporting date under baseball’s collective bargaining agreement, and American League most valuable player Henderson was nowhere to be found.

Oakland General Manager Sandy Alderson wasn’t surprised. He said the club hadn’t determined whether it would fine Henderson.

“If Rickey is trying to make a statement I wouldn’t have expected him on the first day that he can be fined,” Alderson said. “The fact that he’s not in camp only means that he can be fined.”

Henderson apparently is upset that the A’s haven’t been willing to renegotiate the four-year, $12 million contract he signed before last season.

At Plant City, Fla., Cincinnati officials weren’t as placid about Armstrong and Oliver continuing their walkout for a second day.

“The fines will start (today) if they’re not here,” Reds’ general manager Bob Quinn said.

The two are angry that the Reds renewed their contracts and say they will stay away until the team resumes negotiations. Armstrong was renewed at $215,000 and Oliver at $185,000.

Manager Lou Piniella is concerned about the situation.

“They’ve received bad advice,” Piniella said. “Joe is coming off of an arm injury and cut himself off from treatment, and Armstrong was scheduled to pitch Sunday. This is one of his throwing days and he misses it, so this is a setback. When it starts to interfere with us getting ready to defend our championship, I get upset, too.”

At Port Charlotte, Fla., Brown and Rogers worked out with Texas, saying they made their point.

“I’m confident they understand my viewpoint and my reasoning behind feeling the way I do,” Brown said. “Really, this is all I can do. I can’t force them into doing anything else. The big thing is making sure they recognized I didn’t agree with the way the negotiations were handled and, because of that, the outcome of the negotiations was I’m not being paid what I’m worth.”

Brown’s contract was renewed for $327,500, and Rogers’ was renewed for $287,500.

American League home run champion Cecil Fielder was left off the traveling squad for Detroit’s game against the Dodgers in Vero Beach, Fla., today because Tiger Manager Sparky Anderson is concerned about a media circus with Darryl Strawberry playing his first game in a Dodger uniform.

Todd Worrell of St. Louis, coming back from December, 1989 elbow surgery, pitched for the first time in 18 months, allowing a run on two walks and a single during one inning of an intrasquad game, throwing 22 pitches.

Ken Griffey Sr., of the Seattle Mariners, injured in a auto accident last weekend, is working on a stationary bike and doing stretching exercises.