Solidarity Not Issue to Swindell

Houston Astro pitcher Greg Swindell is considering breaking ranks with other major leaguers if the baseball strike isn’t resolved before spring training.

“I have very few friends in baseball right now that I’m close and personal with anyway,” Swindell told television station KRIV of Houston. “If the time comes and things happen, they can think what they want.

“I’ve got house payments, I’ve got ex-wife payments, I’ve got a 5-year-old, a 3-year-old and a 7-week-old. So it’s going to be a tough decision. We’ll make that when the time comes.”

Swindell, an eight-year veteran, was 8-9 last season with a 4.37 earned-run average. He is to make $4.2 million in 1995 and $5.3 million in 1996.

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Dodger pitcher Tom Candiotti and Cleveland Indian outfielder Candy Maldonado have gone to court trying to slash family support payments because of the strike.

Candiotti asked to temporarily stop alimony and child support amounting to $960,000 a year, according to Contra Costa County court records.

Maldonado wants to cut his child support payment to the mother of his 3-year-old daughter from $7,500 a month to $1,000.

Maldonado refused to comment, but Candiotti said the strike made his request reasonable.

“My ex-wife’s support is based on my salary, and when you lose the salary, that should be reflected in the support level,” he said.

Candiotti, 37, has a four-year, $15.5-million contract. He said his wife has savings, and he will resume payments when the strike ends.

“It’s not like I’m trying to leave her out on the street,” he said.

Maldonado, 34, who was earning about $1.5 million a year playing for Cleveland, became a free agent at the end of the strike-shortened season.

Hockey

Mighty Duck defenseman David Williams has become the second player on his team to receive unemployment benefits because of the NHL lockout, joining defenseman Don McSween. Williams, 27, was scheduled to make $250,000 this season and is receiving the maximum of $230 a week paid workers whose salaries were the equivalent of about $30,000.