BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE MAJOR LEAGUES : Study Shows Average Salary Off Slightly

The average salary in baseball declined 9.7% following the players’ strike, but the drop was caused largely by expanded rosters. A study released Saturday by the Associated Press showed the average was $1,073,582. It was $1,188,679 on opening day last season.

But teams began this year with 28-man rosters instead of the usual 25. Most of the extra players earn the major league minimum of $109,000. Subtracting three players per team at the minimum raises the average to $1,173,498, a drop of only 1.3%.

Toronto had the top payroll at $49,853,500, Milwaukee the lowest at $15,273,600. The Angels, at $30,469,167, rank 17th; the Dodgers, at $27,504,167, rank 21st.

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The Texas Rangers optioned pitcher John Dettmer to Oklahoma City of the American Assn. and purchased the contract of left-hander Ed Vosberg, who was with the minor league team. Vosberg, in camp with the Dodgers, opted for free agency rather than accept assignment to the minor leagues. The Rangers signed him last Tuesday. He appeared in one game for Oklahoma City, pitching 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Dettmer allowed two hits and one run in one-third of an inning Wednesday in New York. . . . Pitcher Tom Gordan and the Kansas City Royals agreed to a one-year contract worth $3.3 million.