Angel Offer to Bonilla Might Be $30 Million

The Angels’ guaranteed five-year offer to free agent Bobby Bonilla matches the top offer Bonilla has received, a source close to the negotiations said Tuesday, placing the sum at close to $30 million.

Published reports have put the Philadelphia Phillies’ bid at $25 million for five years, the New York Mets’ at $24.5 million and the Pittsburgh Pirates’ at $22.5 million, each also for five years. The Angels were rumored to have offered $27.5 million. However, Dennis Gilbert, the outfielder’s agent, Tuesday repeated his statement of last week that the reports have understated the value of the offers. He would not disclose the actual amounts.

High as they are, the stakes could go higher: The Mets, who reserved a right to make a counteroffer after making their proposal, are expected to talk to Gilbert again today; the Chicago Cubs are expected to present an offer today, and Gilbert plans to meet with Chicago White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf over Thanksgiving.

“The White Sox are very much a part of the whole thing,” Gilbert said. “We want to get this thing wrapped up after the weekend.”

Angel President Richard Brown said he did not ask how much other teams had offered when the Angels formulated their bid. He also said that if Bonilla’s price increases, “There’s no way we can afford (both first baseman Wally) Joyner and Bonilla.”

If they do stretch their budget to re-sign Joyner and to sign Bonilla, it’s likely they will cease negotiations with free-agent infielder Dick Schofield and free-agent pitcher Kirk McCaskill, and instead fill their positions with younger players who can be paid relatively low salaries.