Twins’ Molitor Says Playing Days Over

Paul Molitor refused to use the word retirement, but all indications are his 21-year career is over.

The Minnesota Twins’ star said Thursday he has decided to end his playing career.

“My heart tells me I’m done,” he said at a news conference.

In the next breath, Molitor said he wants to look at other opportunities and refused to call his announcement a retirement.

But Molitor, 42, said he will not accept offers from the Milwaukee Brewers or Toronto Blue Jays.

Molitor is eighth on the career hit list with 3,319.

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After spending $95.6 million to overhaul their pitching staff, the Arizona Diamondbacks were on the verge of signing center fielder Steve Finley to a four-year contract worth at least $20 million.

“Maybe this was supposed to happen,” Finley said. “Arizona wanted me over there real bad.”

A source told the Associated Press that the Padre offer was three years plus a vesting option, which would have paid a total of $16 million if the fourth year kicked in.

“I think San Diego wanted me here, but they wanted me under their terms,” Finley said. “It was unfortunate that it’s the way it happened, but the game’s a business.”

The Padres did keep shortstop Chris Gomez, who agreed to a $7.8-million, three-year contract.

Gomez, who made $1.15 million this year, gets $2.2 million next season, $2.6 million 2000 and $3 million in 2001.

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In the first words he has been able to speak since his serious setback after lung cancer surgery, Joe DiMaggio delivered a spirited message to his doctors.

“I want to get the hell out of here and go home,” the 84-year-old Hall of Famer said after his doctor temporarily adjusted the breathing tube in his throat.

The remark drew a smile from Dr. Earl Barron, a cardiologist who heads a team of doctors treating DiMaggio at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, Fla.

DiMaggio continued to show improvement from his latest lung infection.

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Reliever Rudy Seanez and the Atlanta Braves agreed to a one-year, $625,000 contract, nearly triple his $225,000 salary for 1998.

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After a two-hour special meeting in Chicago, owners still didn’t have an answer for the widening disparity between the richest and poorest teams.

“I can’t sit here and tell you disparity isn’t a concern. It is,” Commissioner Bud Selig said. “It’s something we have to deal with and try to move ahead.”

Selig wouldn’t get into specifics except to say a variety of economic issues were discussed.

One thing that was not talked about was changing the current revenue sharing formula.

Selig plans to meet with individual teams to talk more about the disparity issue, but was quick to add that he can’t change the way clubs do business.

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Career strikeout leader Nolan Ryan, George Brett and Robin Yount head 11 first-time candidates on the Hall of Fame ballot, mailed this week to veteran members of the Baseball Writers’ Assn. of America.

Also on the ballot for the first time are Carlton Fisk and Dale Murphy. All five all considered strong candidates for election.

The other first-time eligible candidates are George Bell, Mike Boddicker, John Candelaria, Charlie Leibrandt, Frank Tanana and Mike Witt.