Rivera, Johnson, Stevens Lose in Arbitration

Mariano Rivera, Charles Johnson and Lee Stevens all lost their salary arbitration cases Saturday, giving owners a 6-4 advantage over players this year.

Owners have won the majority of cases for four consecutive years, and hold a 242-185 lead over players since arbitration began in 1974.

Rivera, the World Series most valuable player for the New York Yankees, will get a raise from $4.25 million to $7.25 million, rather than his request for $9.25 million.

Johnson, the starting catcher for the Baltimore Orioles, gets a raise from $3.6 million to $4.6 million instead of $5.1 million. He has lost in arbitration in two consecutive years after winning in 1998.

Stevens, a first baseman for the Texas Rangers, gets $3.5 million instead of $4.7 million. He made $2.1 million last year.

While Rivera lost, it’s the highest salary awarded in arbitration, topping the $5.4 million Chicago White Sox pitcher Jack McDowell got when he lost his case in 1994.

“I’m not upset at all,” Rivera said. “It’s very good money. I’m happy to be here and I’m glad it’s over. I just have to concentrate on what I have to do this year.”

Rivera, who turned down a four-year, $36-million offer, seeking $40 million or more, was 4-3 with 45 saves and didn’t allow a run in his final 28 regular-season appearances last year, a span of 30 2/3 innings.

Johnson also filed for $5.1 million last year. Even before learning of the decisions by arbitrators Stephen Goldberg, Ted High and Neumeier, he was angry.

“When you’re $500,000 away and can’t reach the midpoint, the chances of me staying here long-term are slim,” he said in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

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Pitcher Hideki Irabu, traded from the Yankees to the Montreal Expos in the off-season, had an MRI exam on his right elbow.

During an exam Friday, doctors saw that Irabu wasn’t able to complete all the prescribed exercises.

After examining the elbow more closely, they found “some anomalies,” Expo General Manager Jim Beattie said.

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The San Francisco Giants signed right-handers Livan Hernandez and Russ Ortiz to four-year contract extensions, with club options that could keep them with the team through 2004. The contracts are the longest given by the Giants to pitchers in several years.