Playing With House Money, Indians Get a Big Blackjack : Baseball: Cleveland signs McDowell to two-year deal. Mets get Lance Johnson, Clayton traded to Cardinals on another busy day.

The American League champion Cleveland Indians, who finished the 1995 regular season with 52 consecutive sellouts at Jacobs Field and have already sold out every home game in 1996, continued to reinvest that support Thursday by signing free-agent right-hander Jack McDowell to a two-year, $10.15-million contract.

General Manager John Hart said McDowell, as a dominant and proven No. 1 starter, represented his club’s “one missing piece,” but the latest in a series of big-money signings by the Indians generated some consternation.

Said Ron Schueler, general manager of the Central Division rival Chicago White Sox:

“In the first place, every ticket in their park is sold. If you knew your park was going to be sold out every night, wouldn’t you go after anyone you could get?

“On the other hand, we talked at the general manager meetings [in November] about exercising some kind of control over money. Obviously, Atlanta and Cleveland weren’t at that meeting.”

The signing of McDowell highlighted a busy day in the winter market. In addition:

--Free-agent second baseman Craig Biggio chose loyalty, friendship and a four-year, $22.36-million contract over offers from the Colorado Rockies, San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals in re-signing with the Houston Astros.

--Spurned by Biggio and concerned about the physical status of Ozzie Smith, the Cardinals acquired shortstop Royce Clayton from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for pitchers Allen Watson, Rich DeLucia and Doug Creek.

--In his first move since coming out of retirement to become the Baltimore Orioles’ general manager, Pat Gillick filled a major need by signing free-agent closer Randy Myers to a two-year, $6.3-million contract.

--Free-agent center fielder Lance Johnson, who led the American League in hits last season but was not offered arbitration by the White Sox, agreed to a two-year contract with the New York Mets for an estimated $5 million.

--Free-agent pitcher Al Leiter left the Toronto Blue Jays to sign a three-year, $8.6-million contract with the Florida Marlins.

--Free-agent catcher Mike Stanley, who was not offered arbitration by the New York Yankees, signed a 1996 contract with the Boston Red Sox for $2.3 million. The contract includes a 1997 option for $2.1 million, if exercised by Stanley, or $2.7 million, if exercised by the club.

--Free-agent outfielder Darryl Hamilton left the Milwaukee Brewers to sign a one-year contract with the Texas Rangers for $1.05 million.

In signing McDowell, Hart said the Indians continued to “insure the future.” Since losing to the Atlanta Braves in the World Series, Cleveland has also:

Signed free agent Julio Franco to a two-year, $5-million contract to play first base; re-signed Eddie Murray for a year at $2 million (he made $3 million in 1995), extended Orel Hershiser for a year at $2.7 million, signed right fielder Manny Ramirez for four years at $10.15 million, signed pitcher Chuck Nagy for two years at $6.75 million, extended shortstop Omar Vizquel for five years at $15.35 million and re-signed Tony Pena ($525,000), Jim Poole ($400,000) and Alvaro Espinoza ($400,000) for a year each.

With Hart committed to signing the best of his young players to multiyear contracts before they become eligible for arbitration or free agency, the Indians have virtually locked up their entire lineup and rotation--in addition to closer Jose Mesa--into the late ‘90s.

The payroll that was $8 million in 1992 will be about $42 million in 1996, but Hart said in a phone interview that this is all about retaining “familiarity and stability” for the fans and “not about throwing money against the wall like the Yankees and some other clubs have.”

Hart said he is determined to avoid the pattern of four other recent teams--the Mets, Blue Jays, Oakland Athletics and Pittsburgh Pirates--who “crashed and burned” after reaching the top.

“We may not win the division by 30 games again,” he said. “We may not win a hundred games again. But we’re committed to being in the hunt. No matter what the Yankees, Orioles or any other American League team does, what we’ve done this winter will allow us to remain competitive. I mean, what looks good in December doesn’t always work in July, but we’re a better team now than we were two months ago.”

McDowell was 15-10 with the Yankees in 1995, pitching 217 2/3 innings despite some hip and arm problems.

Concerned about his physical condition and fearful of what an arbitrator might do with his $5.4-million salary, the Yankees did not offer that process, losing negotiating rights to McDowell until May 1 and making the re-signing of free agent David Cone their No. 1 priority.

“This club’s got a little bit of potential, huh?” McDowell said of the Indians at a news conference in Cleveland, adding that signing with a winner was his primary objective and that he found the Indians “hungry to win it all.”

Meanwhile, Biggio turned 30 Thursday and celebrated by agreeing to a contract that will pay him $2 million next year and $6.18 million, $6.12 million and $6.06 million in the next three. The Astros have a $5-million option for 1999, with Biggio receiving $2 million if they fail to exercise it. Teammate and close friend Jeff Bagwell, who had said he would consider asking to be traded if Biggio wasn’t re-signed, recently agreed to restructure his four-year, $27.5 million contract to help re-sign Biggio.

“My decision came down to the people here,” Biggio said of Bagwell and other friends in Houston.”I consider myself a loyal person, and I’ve been part of this organization for eight years. We’re going to make it work. I want to win in an Astros uniform.”

The Giants’ decision to trade Clayton, General Manager Bob Quinn said, came down to the need for pitching.

“As much as we hated to part with a shortstop who can do it all defensively,” Quinn said, “how often do you get to address your most critical need with a three-for-one trade?”

Left-hander Watson, 7-9 with a 4.96 earned-run average with St. Louis last season, will move into the Giants’ rotation. DeLucia, 8-7 and 3.39 ERA, will fill a versatile role in a bullpen that may soon lose closer Rod Beck as a free agent. Creek, impressive in a September trial with the Cardinals, could ultimately join Watson in the rotation.

Clayton, 25, made $475,000 in 1995 and figured to double that through arbitration. He’ll be replaced by Rich Aurilia, who debuted impressively in September and played well in the Arizona Fall League.

“By no means does Clayton’s acquisition signal the end of Ozzie Smith’s playing days with the Cardinals,” St. Louis General Manager Walt Jocketty said. “But given Ozzie’s injury problems during the 1995 season, we couldn’t risk putting ourselves in a situation where we had no proven shortstop.”

Myers, who converted 38 of 44 save opportunities with the Chicago Cubs in 1995, joins a Baltimore team that was 12th in the league in saves.

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Another Busy Day

FREE-AGENT SIGNINGS

* Pitcher Jack McDowell with Cleveland for two years, $10.15 million.

* Second baseman Craig Biggio returns to Houston for four years, $22.36 million.

* Closer Randy Myers with Baltimore for two years, $6.3 million.

* Center fielder Lance Johnson with New York Mets for two years, $5 million.

* Pitcher Al Leiter with Florida for three years, $8.6 million.

* Catcher Mike Stanley with Boston for one year, $2.3 million.

* Outfielder Darryl Hamilton with Texas for one year, $1.05 million.

TRADE

* San Francisco sends shortstop Royce Clayton to St. Louis for pitchers Allen Watson, Rich DeLucia and Doug Creek.