Angels Buy Out 1992 Option on Winfield

Deciding that the money they would have had to pay Dave Winfield next season could be better spent on a younger player, the Angels bought out the outfielder’s contract Wednesday, even though he was among their most productive players in 1991.

Winfield, 40, led the Angels with 28 home runs and drove in 86 runs, second on the club to Wally Joyner. For his career, Winfield ranks 23rd in homers with 406 and 17th in RBIs with 1,602. He was acquired from the New York Yankees in exchange for pitcher Mike Witt on May 11, 1990.

Buying out his option cost $450,000, as opposed to paying him $3 million in 1992. But if the Angels also lose Joyner to free agency, it could cost them most of their power and make it imperative that they sign a free agent such as Bobby Bonilla or Danny Tartabull.

The Angels also announced a buyout of pitcher Bert Blyleven, who underwent rotator cuff surgery last April and did not pitch this season. Blyleven, 40, would have earned $2 million but was instead bought out for $250,000.

Both players will remain on the Angels’ roster until they declare free agency.

The decision on Winfield was reached Tuesday in a meeting among club President Richard Brown, Manager Buck Rodgers, Senior Vice President Dan O’Brien and Whitey Herzog, the new senior vice president for player personnel. However, they didn’t reach Winfield until Wednesday. They weren’t required to decide until next Thursday, but Brown said they wanted to give Winfield ample time to plan his future.

“It was an extremely difficult decision to make,” Brown said while watching Game 4 of the World Series at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium. “He’s such a class individual. . . . This is not the first time this was discussed. We’re prioritizing (in spending). It’s a decision Dan and Whitey feel comfortable with, and I defer to them.”

Earlier Wednesday, Herzog said the club would be willing to re-sign Winfield for 1992 but at a lower salary. Brown agreed, saying: “It depends on what David wants to do.”

Herzog’s earlier remarks included this comment: “We’re hoping we can work something out in that respect. We hope he wants to stay in Anaheim. . . . It’s a tough one. He’s still a pretty good player. He drove in 86 runs this season and can go from first to third as well as anybody. But there’s a lot of big free agents out there who it’s going to take a lot of money to sign, and you’ve got to put your money in the best place possible.”

Winfield issued a statement through the Angels that implied he would not return. He could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

“There are no hard feelings, and we are parting on good terms,” he said in the statement. “I wish the Angels’ organization much success. This just means there will be some exciting opportunities for me this winter.”

Herzog said Blyleven, who has 279 victories, will be invited to spring training as a non-roster player, and Brown said Blyleven has “an open invitation” to rejoin the Angels should he not sign with another club.

“We don’t know how healthy he is,” Brown said. “A healthy Bert Blyleven would have helped us tremendously this year and will next year, but when you have a time frame, you have to make an intelligent decision.”

Blyleven said he had anticipated what the Angels were going to do with his contract. He has not yet talked with his agent, Dick Moss, to see if any other teams are interested in picking up his contract. However, he does have a preference.

“I’d like to end my career with the Angels, because this is home,” Blyleven said.

Although Herzog said he still hopes to sign Joyner to a new contract before the first baseman files for free agency, Joyner appears certain to test the market.

“I think a firm and amicable basis has been laid for future discussions,” Barry Axelrod, one of Joyner’s agents, said. “but I also think Wally has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see what’s out there. . . . He’s going to be one of the top three or four guys in the marketplace. It would be hard to walk away from that. I can’t see how Wally couldn’t at least take a look around.”

In recounting what was accomplished during the Angels’ recent organizational meetings, Herzog said the club will increase its Latin American scouting and will appoint a new scouting director for that area. The Angels are negotiating with Ray Poitevint, the Milwaukee Brewers’ vice president for international baseball operations, to oversee their efforts in Mexico, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.

Herzog reportedly spoke to the Boston Red Sox Wednesday about outfielders Ellis Burks and Mike Greenwell and might also be interested in Tom Brunansky.

He denied reports that he has approached the Texas Rangers about acquiring outfielder Ruben Sierra in exchange for pitchers Mark Langston, Chuck Finley or Jim Abbott. He said he first discussed Sierra with Ranger General Manager Tom Grieve and Manager Bobby Valentine on Tuesday, and then only after hearing repeated rumors that he wanted Sierra. Herzog acknowledged that the deal would fulfill each team’s pressing need but said several factors, including a no-trade clause in Langston’s contract, would make it impossible on those terms.

Herzog also said he would be reluctant to trade Finley “unless it’s to our great advantage,” and hopes that Abbott will “be an Angel all his life.” The Angels’ only untouchables, he said, are Langston because of his contract and Jimmie Reese, the popular 87-year-old conditioning coach.

Herzog also denied having discussed a deal with the New York Yankees to acquire second baseman Steve Sax in exchange for third baseman Gary Gaetti.