McDowell Asking for $6.5 Million : Baseball: White Sox talk trade with Yankees for Cy Young Award winner, who leads arbitration parade.

The Chicago White Sox are secretly negotiating with the New York Yankees in an attempt to trade Cy Young Award winner Jack McDowell, but in the meantime, they may soon make him the highest-paid pitcher in baseball.

McDowell asked the Chicago White Sox for a record $6.5 million Tuesday when players and teams exchanged salary arbitration numbers. If McDowell goes to arbitration and wins, he will receive the highest salary for a pitcher in a single season. Even if he loses, the $5.3 million offered by the White Sox will be the highest award in the history of the process.

Still, having to go to arbitration for a third consecutive year has McDowell believing his relationship with the White Sox may soon end.

“The thing that’s getting old is not being appreciated,” said Jim McDowell, Jack’s brother and agent. “That would be nice, instead of having a club bicker over every last dollar year after year. . . . I mean, you’d think that 20-win seasons and a Cy Young would mean something.”

McDowell led a record group of 16 players seeking at least $3.9 million in arbitration, including Atlanta outfielder Ron Gant, who requested $6 million. Of the 80 players who traded figures, 59 are seeking at least $1 million. Only two players were offered cuts by their teams--Cincinnati relief pitcher Rob Dibble and Montreal infielder Randy Milligan.

Dodger pitchers Kevin Gross and Ramon Martinez asked for $3 million and $2.9 million, respectively. The Dodgers offered Martinez $2.475 million, the most they have offered in arbitration, and Gross $2.4 million.

“My hope is to resolve the two cases and not go to arbitration,” said Dodger General Manager Fred Claire, who spent several hours in negotiations Tuesday with Mike Piazza, the National League’s rookie of the year.

Although most arbitration cases are resolved without a hearing, there are several that may be difficult this year. Juan Gonzalez, who led the American League with 46 home runs, was offered $3 million by Texas, $1.9 million less than he asked. Philadelphia pitcher Curt Schilling, the most valuable player in the National League playoffs, asked for $3.2 million and was offered $2 million.

The Angels had no players who exchanged arbitration figures.