Palmeiro Carries A Large Price Tag

As the Baltimore Orioles ponder how to address a crush of 13 players eligible for free agency after the 1998 season, first baseman Rafael Palmeiro insists, “I’m not doing a Brady Anderson”, and will demand market value to remain with the franchise.

Likening his numbers on offense to All-Star players Matt Williams and former American League Most Valuable Player Mo Vaughn, Palmeiro likely will require a five-year, $50 million contract, a package that would obliterate the Orioles’ benchmark average of $7.25 million awarded to third baseman Cal Ripken last April.

“I look at myself a little differently. I’ve already experienced other places. I’ve played in Chicago and Texas. I’m open to playing elsewhere,” says Palmeiro, who says he hasn’t discussed his contract status since meeting briefly with majority owner Peter Angelos last spring. “Last year I went to them and expressed the feeling that I wanted to be an Oriole for the rest of my career. I think I opened the door. Since then we’ve waited and waited and nothing has been done.

“If we wait some more and I play it out, it’s only fair that I get the best deal possible.”