Gwynn Rejects Padre Offer

San Diego Padre right fielder Tony Gwynn rejected a contract offer that could have been worth $6.3 million for the 2001 season, about half the $13-million maximum value of his demand, sources familiar with the negotiations said.

Gwynn, 39, who reached 3,000 hits last season, is looking for a one-year contract before his current agreement expires after this season.

“If we give him a big payday it means that our losses go from astronomical to totally unsupportable,” majority owner John Moores said.

Gwynn will make $4.3 million in the final year of his contract.

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Former major league catcher Matt Nokes landed his airplane on Interstate 15 after experiencing engine trouble.

Nokes, 36, who recently signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians, was not hurt. There were no injuries and no damage to the plane.

Nokes landed his Lancer 4 in northern San Diego County after he lost oil pressure, said Larri Dillard of the Federal Aviation Administration.

Nokes had taken off from Palomar Airport in Carlsbad. He said he didn’t know what caused the plane’s engines to suddenly start to fail, but he couldn’t wait to reach the nearest airport.

“I went south, hovered over some cars and waited until they cleared,” he said.

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The Oakland Athletics acquired outfielder Jeremy Giambi from the Kansas City Royals, uniting him with his brother, Jason. The Athletics sent pitcher Brett Laxton, who had three major league appearances last season, to the Royals.

Jeremy Giambi, 25, hit .285 with three home runs and 34 runs batted in in 90 games for the Royals last season. Jason Giambi, 29, also a first baseman, has led the A’s in hitting each of the last three seasons.

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Cal Ripken didn’t play nearly enough baseball last year, so he decided to get off to an early start this season.

Coming off a back operation that has delayed his quest for 3,000 hits, Ripken reported Friday, nearly a week ahead of schedule. The third baseman donned a Baltimore Oriole uniform for the first time since last September, stuck his cap on his balding head and walked onto the diamond while most of his teammates were taking physicals.

Ripken took batting practice, fielded grounders and ran hard in the outfield--even though he isn’t required to be in uniform until March 1.

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Texas first baseman Lee Stevens and Baltimore catcher Charles Johnson asked for raises in the final two salary arbitration cases this year.

Stevens, who hit .282 with 24 homers and 81 RBIs last season, is asking for a raise from $2.1 million to $4.7 million. The Rangers are offering $3.5 million.

Johnson, who won in arbitration in 1998 and lost last year, asked for a raise from $3.6 million to $5.1 million. The Orioles countered at $4.6 million.

Johnson, 28, hit .251 last season with 16 homers and 54 RBIs in 1999.

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Left-hander Eddie Guardado and the Minnesota Twins agreed to a two-year contract extension through 2002 that guarantees him a minimum of $5 million. Guardado, 29, will make $875,000 this season, the option year of his previous contract. The new deal calls for salaries of $1.8 million in 2001 and 2002 with an option for 2003. Guardado was 2-5 with a 4.50 earned-run average and two saves in 63 appearances last season. . . . Outfielder Mark Whiten, 33, and the Cleveland Indians agreed to a minor league contract. . . . The Arizona Diamondbacks released right-hander Al Garcia after he failed his physical.