Ripken Agrees to Two-Year Extension

Cal Ripken agreed to a contract extension Wednesday that virtually assures him of playing his entire career with the Baltimore Orioles.

The extension guarantees the perennial all-star $15.1 million for the 1998 and 1999 seasons.

Ripken, 36, was entering the final season of a five-year, $32.5-million contract. The new deal was announced Wednesday night after Ripken had homered and hit two doubles in the Orioles’ 4-2 opening-day victory over Kansas City.

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For the first time, the salary of one player--Albert Belle--exceeds the payroll of an entire team--the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Less than two years after the end of the most recent players’ strike, the average salary increased 17.6% to a record $1.38 million, according to a review of all major league contracts.

Belle, the game’s highest-paid player this season at $10 million, is making $928,333 more than the whole Pirate payroll, which totals $9,071,667.

The New York Yankees have the top payroll at $58.5 million.

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The Texas Rangers signed pitcher John Burkett and outfielder Rusty Greer to contract extensions that could keep them with the club through 2001. . . . New York Yankee pitcher Kenny Rogers threw 72 pitches during a five-inning, minor-league intrasquad game. Rogers, who had elbow surgery in the off-season, is scheduled to make his regular-season debut Tuesday against the Angels at Anaheim. . . . Mike Mussina’s swollen elbow has improved dramatically, and the right-hander probably will make his season debut Sunday at Texas. . . . The Seattle Mariners signed infielder Alvaro Espinoza, who was released by the New York Mets during the last week of spring training. . . . A Florida congresswoman urged the State Department to reject a request from the Baltimore Orioles to play exhibition games in Cuba. In a letter to Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) called the proposal a “publicity stunt” that would be “a propaganda coup” for Cuban leader Fidel Castro.