Bonilla Gives the Angels Chance to Name Price

Bobby Bonilla, the most attractive of this winter’s free agents, will meet with executives of the Angels tonight as part of a cross-country tour designed to prove that in baseball the recession is a myth.

Bonilla has already met with the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets and is expected to go from tonight’s session with the Angels to meetings with the Chicago White Sox and his own Pittsburgh Pirates.

One projected stop has been canceled. It was learned late Wednesday night that the St. Louis Cardinals, fearing the cost, have pulled out of ongoing negotiations with Angels’ free-agent first baseman Wally Joyner and a scheduled meeting with Bonilla, who had spent the last three days in Montgomery, Ala., offering support to Jose Canseco, a fellow client of agent Dennis Gilbert.

Canseco has been on trial in a federal lawsuit brought by a card-show promoter in a dispute over Canseco’s appearance fee at an event three years ago.

Talking about the fee Bonilla is expected to extract from the club that signs him, a jesting Canseco offered him the following advice, according to Gilbert: “Ask $35 million for five years, then you and I will start our own league.”

Canseco was in his own league when he signed a five-year, $23.5-million contract with the Oakland Athletics, which went into effect this year, with an average annual value of $4.7 million. He has since been passed in average annual value by Roger Clemens at $5.38 million and Dwight Gooden at $5.15 million.

And Bonilla, a switch-hitting outfielder-first baseman-third baseman, is expected to eclipse them all with a five-year deal in the $28-million range.

Speaking from Alabama Wednesday, Bonilla would not confirm that his goal is to be the top-salaried player.

“I’m fortunate to be in a unique position, but I don’t want people ever to forget how much I enjoy playing,” he said. “I’m excited about the opportunity I have and even more excited that teams have said, ‘Hey, we’d like to have you.’

“Maybe that’s not a surprise, but then you never can be sure what kind of reception you’ll get or how the market will react.”

At this point, the Pirates have guaranteed four years at $18.5 million, the Phillies are said to have offered five years at about $23 million, and the Mets are expected to follow their Sunday meeting with an offer that will top anything on the table.

The Angels and White Sox have yet to be heard from, and there is a mystery team that Bonilla and Gilbert refused to identify but might be the New York Yankees.

Bonilla grew up in the Bronx, and his parents still live in New York. The Yankees could make Bonilla a junior partner in their cable TV package, which brings in more than $40 million a year.

Bonilla dismissed speculation that he is determined to stay in the East and/or the National League, insisting that he has an open mind.

“Everyone knows how I feel about New York, but who knows what will happen?” he said. “People fail to realize that I got my start with the White Sox in the American League. I’m familiar with the parks and many of the pitchers (in the AL). I wouldn’t foresee a problem changing leagues again. As for moving to the West Coast, there’s nothing big about that. How hard is it to play in better weather all year?”

The Dodgers also could provide that, but they have yet to get involved, said Gilbert, who joined Bonilla in denying a rumor that Bonilla would not play for Manager Tom Lasorda because of a series of incidents between the Dodgers and the Pirates that included the beaning of Gary Redus, a close friend of Bonilla’s.

“That’s the furthest thing from the truth,” Bonilla said. “I mean, I have no problem with Lasorda. Where did that start?”

The Angels are expected to show interest in Bonilla but might decide that another of Gilbert’s free agents, Danny Tartabull, is the more feasible acquisition.

Neither Tartabull nor Bonilla seems to serve much purpose for the Angels without Joyner being re-signed as part of a one-two punch. Sources familiar with the club’s thinking say that one without the other probably would force the Angels to break up their pitching nucleus by trading Chuck Finley for a hitter.

However, if Joyner and either Bonilla or Tartabull are signed, according to these sources, the Angels would be in position to: (a) offer still unproven Lee Stevens in a deal for coveted speed or (b) pay for that speed, perhaps by pursuing a free agent such as Otis Nixon, who will open the 1992 season with about 15 more days to serve on his 60-day drug suspension.

Joyner holds a key. His negotiations with the Angels have been progressing, according to agent Michael Watkins, but he is also playing a waiting game, fielding inquiries from other teams while waiting to see how effectively the Angels’ Whitey Herzog can provide lineup insurance.

Bonilla, a friend of Joyner’s since they played winter ball together in Puerto Rico in 1985, is one of the game’s leading run producers and positive influences. He has played 157 or more games in each of the last four years and averaged 23 home runs and 97 runs batted in during his five years with the Pirates, a span in which his composite average was .287.

Bonilla led the National League in doubles this year and was in the top 10 in 10 offensive categories, while drawing 90 walks and driving in 100 runs, amid constant questions about his contract status and the stress of playing three positions.

The Pirates, after forcing Bonilla into arbitration the last two years, have gradually increased their offer to last week’s four-year, $18.5-million package that included a fifth year as an option, taking the deal to about $23 million.

Bonilla said that had the Pirates made such an offer at the start of the season or any time during it, he would have accepted. Now, agent Gilbert added, it’s not in the ballpark, though Bonilla will meet again with the Pirates next week.

“I feel compelled to listen, but it’s still 99.9% I won’t be staying,” Bonilla said. “I don’t feel bad about that because they have had ample time to sign me. Don’t get me wrong. I made $2.4 million this year. Am I going to tell a guy in the South Bronx how tough I’ve got it?”

According to Gilbert, Bonilla told four inquiring clubs that he didn’t want to waste their time with meaningless negotiations because he simply wasn’t interested in playing for them.

“He could have played the game and jacked up the price, but he has too much class to handle it that way,” Gilbert said. “There’s several considerations, including money, location and the team’s competitiveness.”

Said Bonilla: “This is not something that’s going to drag on. People will be surprised how quickly I make a decision. I’m going to listen to these clubs, then go home and let my wife and daughter decide.”

Millie Bonilla, who also comes from the Bronx, has expressed fondness for the Pittsburgh area. It isn’t certain how Danielle, who will be 3 next month, feels, but she is likely to have a bountiful Christmas.