Dodgers Offer Howell, Samuel Arbitration, but Not Griffin

The Dodgers officially severed relations with infielder Alfredo Griffin on Friday but provided infielder Juan Samuel and relief pitcher Jay Howell with an opportunity to return for 1992 by offering arbitration.

A fourth free agent, outfielder Mitch Webster, agreed to a one-year contract believed to call for the maximum 20% pay cut from his $750,000 salary of 1991. The new contract is technically with the Dodgers’ triple-A affiliate at Albuquerque, N.M., but only because the Dodgers’ 40-man winter roster is full.

“Mitch will be with us in spring training, and I envision him making the ballclub,” Executive Vice President Fred Claire said.

Today is the deadline for clubs to offer arbitration to their free agents. If a club does not make that offer, as in the case of Griffin, the club loses negotiating rights with that player until May 1.

Samuel and Howell have until Dec. 19 to accept or reject the arbitration offer. If they accept, they are deemed to be signed for 1992, with the terms to be decided by arbitration or continued negotiation with the club.

If they reject arbitration, the Dodgers’ negotiating rights would end Jan. 8.

In the case of both Samuel and Howell, Class-A free agents based on statistics, the Dodgers would have lost compensation rights if they had not made the offer. A club that signs either player must give the Dodgers two draft choices, an important consideration in the Dodgers’ decision.

Samuel, a free agent last winter as well, had no other offers and returned to the club through this process, though he suspected that he was not welcome.

“We have told both Juan and Jay that we hope they stay, and want them to stay, but our interest in each case is a one-year contract,” Claire said. “It would be understandable if they accepted a multiyear opportunity with another club.

“If Juan does come back, he will be our second baseman. Lenny Harris and Mike Sharperson would move back to third and create a more competitive situation, because Dave Hansen is definitely in the picture there.”