Marlins Land Another Big One in Alou

After nearly $90 million, the Marlins’ free-agent spending spree ended Thursday when Florida agreed to a $25-million, five-year contract with outfielder Moises Alou.

“It was easy for me,” Alou said. “I had a few other offers, but the Marlins, they made it easier. That was a team I really wanted.”

Alou, 30, was one of 12 players who became a free agent last weekend when service time for the strike was restored.

“We’re thrilled to be able to add somebody with Moises’ ability,” General Manager Dave Dombrowski said. “[He has] the type of bat that we were looking to add to the ballclub--also an outstanding defensive player.”

Alou joins what is possibly the most improved team in baseball. The Marlins hired Jim Leyland as manager, then committed $89,075,000 to six free agents: Alou, pitcher Alex Fernandez ($35 million for five years), infielder-outfielder Bobby Bonilla ($23.3 million for four years), outfielder Jim Eisenreich ($3 million for two years), pitcher Dennis Cook ($1.7 million for two years) and outfielder John Cangelosi ($1,075,000 for two years).

“The team we’re going to have right now, there’s no way we’re not going to make it to the playoffs,” Alou said.

Alou hit .281 last season with 21 homers and 96 runs batted in. His best year was 1994, when he hit .339 with 22 homers and 78 RBIs.

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The Baltimore Orioles, acting with Cal Ripken’s blessing, agreed to a $9-million, three-year contract with free-agent shortstop Mike Bordick.

As a result, Ripken will give up the position he held since 1982 and move to third base.

“Cal wants to win, and he feels we will be a better team with Mike Bordick in the lineup,” General Manager Pat Gillick said. “It’s very evident that Cal made the phone call that got the guy here.”

Bordick, who would wind up with $13 million over four years if the Orioles exercise an option for 2000, played all seven of his major league seasons with the Oakland Athletics, where he compiled a .258 batting average.

But it was his glove that made him a catch for the Orioles, who feel the acquisition of the 31-year-old shortstop strengthens the left side of the infield.

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The Minnesota Twins added experience and, they hope, a lot of innings to their starting rotation by signing Bob Tewksbury to a $2.1-million, one-year contract.

“He throws a lot of strikes, and he’s got experience on his side,” Twin General Manager Terry Ryan said. “The one thing we’ve always had trouble doing is enticing pitchers to come here, and that didn’t scare him at all.”

Tewksbury, 36, whose 33 starts for San Diego last season were a career high, pitched 206 2/3 innings with a 10-10 record, a 4.31 earned-run average and a career-high 126 strikeouts.

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Mark McLemore, who became a free agent last weekend when service time for the 1994-95 strike was restored, returned to the Rangers when Texas agreed to a $6.5-million, three-year contract.

McLemore, a 32-year-old second baseman, was a key part of a defense that was the cornerstone of the Rangers’ success last season. He also had a career season at the plate, batting .290 with 46 RBIs and 84 runs.

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Boston third baseman Tim Naehring signed a two-year, $5.5-million contract with a club option for a third season, instead of taking more money to play second base for the Cleveland Indians.

Naehring, 29, hit .288 with a career-high 17 home runs with 67 RBIs in 116 games last season.

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Derek Bell, who drove in 100 runs for the Houston Astros last season for the first time in his career, agreed to a $13-million, three-year contract. Bell, the Astros’ right fielder, hit .263 last season with 17 homers and 113 RBIs.

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The bidding for Roger Clemens kept on going, with the three-time Cy Young Award winner keeping mum about when he’ll sign or where he’ll go.

Cleveland, New York, Baltimore and Toronto are all believed to be in the hunt for Clemens, 34, who is seeking a four-year deal.

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American League Cy Young Award winner Pat Hentgen agreed to a $20.5-million, three-year extension with the Toronto Blue Jays through 2001.

Hentgen, 28, was 20-10 with a 3.22 ERA last year to edge Andy Pettitte of the Yankees in the Cy Young voting. He already is signed for the next two seasons at $3.25 million a year.

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A year after replacing the artificial turf with grass, the demodernization of Busch Stadium in St. Louis will take another step next season with the addition of an old-fashioned, hand-operated scoreboard. . . . Dick Williams, former Angel and Padre manager, will have triple-bypass heart surgery today at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Orange after tests revealed he had suffered a previously undetected heart attack. Williams, 67, is a consultant with the Yankees.