BASEBALL : Pendleton’s a Marlin as Flurry Continues

Baseball’s hot stove boiled over Friday, with more than two dozen deals that put Terry Pendleton, Jim Gott and Bud Black in new places and the hint of other major moves involving Randy Johnson, Larry Walker and Bill Swift.

Faced with two midnight EDT deadlines tied to salary arbitration, teams scrambled to settle contracts. The result was another massive shopping spree, as if the long off-season had been compressed into a few days.

Bob Welch, Mark Lemke and John Burkett were among the latest players affected.

The activity came on the day all major leaguers were supposed to start spring training.

Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr., Jose Canseco and Fernando Valenzuela checked into camp.

So did Dave Stewart, Chris Sabo and Mickey Tettleton--at a special site in Homestead, Fla., set up for free agents.

“We’re calling ourselves the Homestead Homies,” infielder Randy Velarde said. “We’re all misfits.”

The AL and NL also released their schedules, revised after the start of the season was delayed by the strike. Opening day is April 25 when the Dodgers play at Florida, followed by 13 games the next day. Also, there will be six games the day after the All-Star break.

Pendleton will start the year with the Marlins. The former NL most valuable player, let loose by the Atlanta Braves, got a $1.5 million, one-year deal as a free agent.

“I bring leadership with me as well as my play in the field,” said Pendleton, 34, limited to 77 games last season by a back injury.

The last time Pendleton signed on as a free agent was four years ago, and he went on to become the MVP while winning a batting title with the Braves.

“My big concern when I was a free agent in 1990 was that Atlanta wanted me, and not just to fill a void,” Pendleton said. “Florida showed an interest in me, wanted me, and they came after me.”

Black, 37, signed with Cleveland, a year after going 4-2 with a 4.47 earned-run average in an injury-interrupted season with San Francisco.

“Our reports on him are good,” Indian General Manager John Hart said. “We saw him pitch on his rehab assignment in the minor leagues last year, then again in San Francisco just before the strike.”

Gott, 35, wound up in Pittsburgh after struggling last year with the Dodgers.

Pat Borders, meanwhile, moved from Toronto to Kansas City. The MVP of the 1992 World Series, who made $2.5 million last season with the Blue Jays, got a deal for only $310,000 with the Royals. Welch re-signed with the Oakland Athletics for $225,000 after making $2.9 million last year.

Burkett, traded by San Francisco to Texas last December, found himself back in limbo after the Rangers declined to offer him a contract. Burkett won 67 games in the last five years with the Giants.

Among the free agents re-signing with their teams were Lemke (Atlanta), Kenny Rogers (Texas) and Kirk McCaskill (Chicago White Sox). Also, Jeff Reardon was invited to Montreal’s camp and Mike Johnson worked out for Baltimore.

Friday was the last day for clubs to offer salary arbitration to their former players who became free agents, or they lose rights to negotiate until May 15.

It also was the date to offer contracts to salary arbitration-eligible players. Teams told many players to sign now or face release.

In moves that were brewing, the Colorado Rockies were closing in on free agents Walker and Swift. Also, the Seattle Mariners were said to be shopping pitcher Johnson, with the New York Yankees possibly in the chase for the ace.