BASEBALL / HELENE ELLIOTT : Eckersley a Special Case in Oakland

By signing Dennis Eckersley to a two-year, $7.8-million contract extension, Oakland Athletics’ General Manager Sandy Alderson whittled his list of potential free agents to 11. He still might lose pitchers Ron Darling, Kelly Downs, Dave Stewart and Rick Honeycutt; first baseman Mark McGwire; catchers Terry Steinbach and Jamie Quirk; outfielders Harold Baines and Willie Wilson and infielders Randy Ready and Carney Lansford, but Alderson probably won’t reduce that list before the season ends.

Alderson described Eckersley’s case as unique, and not an exception to his policy of not negotiating during the season.

“He made it very clear he wanted to stay in Oakland,” Alderson said, “and he made it clear again in the fact that he signed (for far less than his market value).”

And if another player said he wanted to stay with the A’s and asked to talk, would Alderson agree? “Nobody has,” Alderson said.

Darling, whose second-half surge has helped keep Oakland atop the American League West, said he wants to stay, but he’s waiting for the A’s to approach him.

“I’d like to play here,” Darling said. “I like it here. But they have to let me know. Their stance seems to be they’re not going to sign anybody until after the season or the (expansion) draft or whatever. I feel exactly the same way as Eck does, although I’m not in Eck’s category. I’d love to put myself in Eck’s category, though. I don’t need to go out and find what I’m worth on the open market.”

Darling also said A’s players have no resentment toward management for signing Eckersley.

“Eck is like an institution here. He’s very popular with the fans, and he’s been very successful,” Darling said. “He signed for a lot less than he could have on the open market. He’s as close to perfect in what he does as a ballplayer as anybody. They need him here and want him to stay here. He’s a solid citizen.”

McGwire said last week he intends to file for free agency, but hasn’t ruled out returning to Oakland. Alderson, who has combined with Manager Tony La Russa to do a masterful job this season, isn’t worrying about McGwire now.

“We’re not taking anything for granted,” Alderson said. “This is the time we think about winning some games, and I know Mark is thinking about the same thing, too. . . . (The number of potential free agents) doesn’t weigh on my mind because I think things take care of themselves. Last year, we tried to re-sign Mike Gallego and offered him a lot of money, but he went somewhere else (to the New York Yankees). But we benefited from the emergence of Mike Bordick, and we later found Jerry Browne.”

PIRATE BONDING

Eckersley’s willingness to sign for less money to stay where he feels comfortable “is a real good analogy” to explain Barry Bonds’ renewed desire to talk to the Pirates about remaining in Pittsburgh, according to Bonds’ agent, Dennis Gilbert.

But while Bonds will consider staying, he isn’t going to sacrifice mega-millions.

“That would be ludicrous,” Gilbert said. “Barry is the best (upcoming) free agent and should command the most money. But Barry has played his whole career in Pittsburgh and he’s been on winners two times. It’s tough to leave a winner. Following Barry’s command, I’ve opened up the lines of communication with (Pirate General Manager) Ted Simmons. He’s a real good friend of mine, and I’ve talked to him a few times. But there’s no real hard-core negotiations going on.

“Previously, the lines of communication were cut off, and that’s one of the things I did, reopen them.”

Although an Associated Press story last week said Bonds would take several million less than he might get elsewhere if the Pirates retain players such as Doug Drabek and Andy Van Slyke, Gilbert said that’s not the case. Gilbert said Bonds was speaking in a general sense and meant any player who signs before the season ends probably would get less than what he would get if he filed for free agency and a bidding war ensued.

Bonds is earning $4.7 million this season, after rejecting a multiyear deal last winter worth about $25 million. Pirate President Mark Sauer has said Bonds is “in another solar system. I think he wants to test the free-agent system and to play in a major market. We’re hoping we can ride him to the World Series, and we’ll wish him well. There are no hard feelings.”

There’s a theory that Bonds is suffering offensively because Steve Buechele no longer is hitting behind him, but that’s not entirely true. His homer pace has slowed and he’s being walked more often, but his overall numbers are about the same. In 65 games before the Pirates traded Buechele to the Chicago Cubs, Bonds hit .292 with 15 home runs and 44 runs batted in. In 35 games since he has hit .295 with six homers and 26 RBIs.

TIGER RENEWAL

Judging by his record as owner of the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings, Mike Ilitch--whose bid to purchase the Detroit Tigers from Tom Monaghan received preliminary approval Wednesday--is an appropriate buyer for the Tigers, a team with an uncertain future.

The Red Wings were in a similar situation when Ilitch took over, boasting more tradition than talent. By spending freely but wisely on managerial and playing talent, Ilitch restored the Red Wings to contending status. The only other major Detroit sports team to play in the city instead of in the suburbs, the Red Wings are the hottest ticket in town.

Ilitch’s first major decision will be on the Tigers’ new home. It’s likely that, instead of renovating Tiger Stadium or planning a suburban stadium, he’ll back a downtown site near the theater district. He has helped revitalize that area by renovating the Fox Theater, and the addition of a ballpark could help sustain an economic revival.

SLOW GOING

Robin Yount’s march to 3,000 hits was turning into a marathon until a hot streak in recent days, leading to eye examinations and tests to see if age--36--is contributing to his woes.

Yount checked out fine physically, but his batting average isn’t healthy. Until his three-for-five game Thursday, two-for-three night Friday and a three-for-four performance Saturday, he was in a five-for-48 slump, and is 18 hits away from 3,000. From June 16, when he was hitting .291--through Friday, he was 35 for 184, a .190 average. Overall, he’s batting .243.

“I feel fine. I feel comfortable up there,” the Milwaukee Brewers’ outfielder said. “Everything is fine, nothing a few hits won’t cure. I’m sure I’m putting some pressure on myself. That’s human nature. I think I’m capable of doing more, so I think I should be doing more.”

RANGER RUMBLING

The Texas Rangers, who last winter strongly considered signing Ruben Sierra to a six-year, $30-million deal, are happy they didn’t. And unless the free-agent market takes a steep drop, they probably won’t pursue him when he becomes a free agent after the season.

From 1989 through ‘91, he had an average of .298 with 23 homers and 110 RBIs. But this season, after going to arbitration and getting a one-year, $5-million contract, Sierra is hitting .278 with 13 homers and 65 RBIs. Since the All-Star break, he has hit two home run and driven in 10 runs and become a favorite target of Arlington Stadium boo-birds.

“I play against two teams--the other team and the fans,” Sierra said.

Weary of Juan Gonzalez’s defensive problems, Ranger Manager Toby Harrah has moved Gonzalez from center field to left in many lineups, displacing Kevin Reimer. Monty Fariss and David Hulse also will get chances to win Gonzalez’s old job. Gonzalez leads AL center fielders with eight errors, and Reimer leads left fielders with nine.

INDISPENSABLE PHILLIE

Len Dykstra, lost to the Philadelphia Phillies for the rest of the season because of a broken hand, has an undeniable influence on the team’s success. With him in the lineup, the Phillies are 76-71; without him, they were 53-82 through Friday.

But Philadelphia isn’t everyone’s favorite place to play. Infielder Dale Sveum, asked about his thoughts on the city after being traded to the Chicago White Sox, said: “I miss it like a hole in the head.”

To which Phillie General Manager Lee Thomas replied: “Did he mention the hole in his bat?”

SELF-CONFIDENCE

The Chicago Cubs said Shawon Dunston has volunteered to go to the Instructional League to learn to play the outfield, but Dunston doesn’t sound very willing.

“For me to do it, they’d have to have a better shortstop than me on this team,” he said. “There’s only two better shortstops in baseball as far as I’m concerned, Barry Larkin and Cal Ripken.”