Blue Jays Say They Will Honor Agreement to Trade Clemens

Roger Clemens, angered the Toronto Blue Jays won’t spend enough money to field a contender next season, told the team Wednesday he wants to be traded and the Angels are among the teams that have already expressed interest.

The five-time Cy Young Award winner, who won the honor for the second consecutive year, wants to be dealt to a contender or closer to his home in Katy, Texas.

The World Series champion New York Yankees, Houston Astros and Texas Rangers are considered the top contenders to land the 36-year-old right-hander. The Dodgers, San Diego Padres, Cleveland Indians and St. Louis Cardinals are also expected to make a bid.

When Clemens signed with the Blue Jays before the 1997 season, his agents, Randy and Alan Hendricks, had a handshake agreement with Toronto General Manager Gord Ash that he would try to deal the pitcher if Clemens didn’t think the team would contend.

Clemens, who won his first three Cy Youngs with Boston in 1986, 1987 and 1991, went 20-6 with a 2.65 earned-run average, striking out 271 in 234 2/3 innings last season.

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Free-agent left fielder Henry Rodriguez returned to the Chicago Cubs after agreeing to an $8.9-million, two-year contract.

Rodriguez hit .251 last season with 31 homers and 85 RBIs.

Chicago also signed right-hander Scott Sanders, released by San Diego on Nov. 17.

Sanders, 29, pitched in 23 games for the NL champions, going 3-1 with 26 strikeouts, five walks and a 4.11 ERA in 30 2/3 innings.

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After signing free-agent third baseman Robin Ventura, the New York Mets turned their interest toward Rickey Henderson.

“Rickey is certainly the most obvious corner outfielder that might satisfy the leadoff position,” General Manager Steve Phillips said.

Phillips met for two hours with Henderson’s agents at Shea Stadium on Wednesday night, though no deal was made.

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The best seats for Padre games will cost $22 next season, a $4 increase from this year.

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The Athletics have agreed to remain at the Oakland Coliseum for at least through the 2001 season, part of a settlement that also makes it more likely the team eventually will be sold to local buyers.

The A’s in October had triggered a clause giving them a year-to-year lease at the Coliseum and clearing the way for owners Steve Schott and Ken Hofmann to move the team or sell it to out-of-town buyers.

The agreement, which also gives the team the right to extend its lease on a year-to-year basis through the 2004 season, wipes out a $48-million lawsuit the A’s had filed against public officials stemming from damages the team claims resulted from a $129-million expansion and renovation of the Coliseum in 1995-96.

That renovation, part of the package luring the Raiders back from Los Angeles, resulted in construction that went on during A’s games and forced the team to move its first home stand of the 1996 season to Las Vegas.

Under the terms of the settlement, the A’s will get $2 million this year and will be reimbursed for luxury seating installed last year. The A’s rent also has been decreased.

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Amid concern about the latest escalation in salaries, baseball owners will hold a special meeting today in Chicago.

Commissioner Bud Selig intends to tell the teams the widening disparity among the sport’s rich and poor is damaging the game. Latest estimates have the top-earning club with $170 million in revenue this year and the bottom team taking in only $35 million.

Top baseball officials, speaking on the condition they not be identified, already have concluded 15-18 of the 30 teams have been eliminated from contention for the eight playoff spots next season--simply because they can’t generate enough revenue to field a lineup to compete.

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The Philadelphia Phillies signed backup outfielder Kevin Sefcik to a two-year, $900,000 contract. Meanwhile, General Manager Ed Wade said despite inquiries by several clubs the Phillies have no interest in trading star pitcher Curt Schilling.