Getting Salary Cap to Fit Won’t Be Easy : Baseball: Teams begin preparing by making 36 players--including Jim Abbott--free agents.

Teams began adjusting to baseball’s new salary cap Friday by making 36 players free agents and preserving their bargaining rights with 38 others.

The 36 players who were not offered 1995 contracts--among them pitchers Jim Abbott and Pete Harnisch, and third baseman Charlie Hayes--are free to negotiate with any team. Among the group were 20 players who would have been restricted free agents if their teams had decided to make qualifying offers--their 1994 salaries plus 10%.

“There are some good ones out there,” General Manager Gene Michael of the New York Yankees said of the free agents. “We will look at anyone that we have good reports on.”

Boston let go pitchers Tony Fossas and Chris Nabholz, and Detroit got rid of four players, pitchers Mike Gardiner and Gene Harris, outfielder Junior Felix and catcher Chad Kreuter. Atlanta released pitchers Derek Lilliquist, Gregg Olson and Mike Stanton.

The Angels, possibly interested in re-acquiring Abbott, declined to offer contracts to pitchers Mark Leiter and Bob Patterson. They tendered contracts for 1995 to 28 players, among them designated hitter Chili Davis, and said they have agreed to terms with left-hander Ken Patterson on a minor league contract. Ken Patterson, 30, pitched two-thirds of an inning last season before tearing a ligament in his left elbow, which required surgery.

Leiter appeared in 40 games, including seven starts, with a 4-7 record and 4.72 ERA. Bob Patterson made 47 appearances, with a 2-3 record and 4.07 ERA.

The 38 restricted free agents--players with four to six years of major league service--can sign offer sheets with any team but must give their former clubs 10 days to match offers. In that group are Atlanta’s Steve Avery, the Yankees’ Jack McDowell and Montreal’s John Wetteland.

Players, however, won’t be signing soon. The players’ union advised players and agents not to make deals until it evaluates details of the 66 pages of contract language detailing the cap that owners implemented Friday.

“We want to make sure we know what they did,” said Eugene Orza, the union’s No. 2 official.

Several players agreed to contracts minutes before owners imposed the salary cap. Teams announced the deals on Friday.

Infielder Bip Roberts, who was a free agent, got the biggest deal, a $4.8-million, two-year contract with San Diego. Harold Baines, another free agent, returned to Baltimore for $1.6 million in 1995.

Outfielder Orlando Merced agreed to a $2-million, one-year deal with Pittsburgh. St. Louis signed two players to one-year deals, infielder Geronimo Pena for $770,000 and outfielder Brian Jordan for $725,000.

Catcher Scott Servais and Houston agreed to a one-year contract. Infielder Jeff Reboulet and Minnesota agreed to a two-year deal, and catcher Steve Decker and Florida agreed to a one-year contract.

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Restricted Free Agents

Thirty-eight players became restricted free agents Friday when owners imposed a new system that includes a salary cap. Unsigned players with four or more years of major league service but less than six may sign an offer sheet with any team through Feb. 15, and their current clubs have 10 days to match any offers. The new free agents: AMERICAN LEAGUE

* Baltimore (2)--Chris Hoiles, c; Ben McDonald, rhp.

* Boston (2)--Luis Alicea, 2b; Tim Naehring, ss.

* Chicago (1)--Alex Fernandez, rhp.

* Kansas City (4)--Kevin Appier, rhp; Jose DeJesus, rhp; Tom Gordon, rhp; Brian McRae, of.

* Milwaukee (2)--Mike Fetters, rhp; Jaime Navarro, rhp.

* Minnesota (3)--Alex Cole, of; Scott Erickson, rhp; Kevin Tapani, rhp.

* New York (1)--Jack McDowell, rhp.

* Oakland (1)--Dave Leiper, lhp.

* Texas (2)--John Burkett, rhp; Kenny Rogers, lhp.

* Toronto (1)--Al Leiter, lhp.

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NATIONAL LEAGUE

* Dodgers (1)--Ramon Martinez, rhp.

* Atlanta (3)--Steve Avery, lhp; Mark Lemke, 2b; Kent Mercker, lhp.

* Chicago (2)--Glenallen Hill, of; Sammy Sosa, of.

* Colorado (1)--Dante Bichette, of.

* Florida (2)--Mario Diaz, ss; Mark Gardner, rhp.

* Montreal (3)--Marquis Grissom, of; Ken Hill, rhp; John Wetteland, rhp.

* New York (1)--Jose Vizcaino, ss.

* Philadelphia (1)--David West, lhp.

* St. Louis (4)--John Habyan, rhp; Ray Lankford, of; Rich Rodriguez, lhp; Todd Zeile, 3b.

* San Diego (1)--Andy Benes, rhp.