Kendall Signs Six-Year Deal for $60 Million

Jason Kendall said it wasn’t the money--and $60 million is a lot of it--that made him stay in Pittsburgh. Or the new ballpark. Or the chance to hit ahead of Brian Giles.

Rather, Kendall said, it was the opportunity to win. Not in the future, but right now.

“If I didn’t believe we weren’t going to win here, I wouldn’t stay here, no matter how much money they gave me,” Kendall said Friday after signing the richest contract in Pittsburgh Pirate history. “It’s going to happen here. I’ve just got that feeling.”

Kendall’s optimism, no doubt kindled by a $60-million, six-year contract that makes him baseball’s second highest-paid catcher behind Mike Piazza, might seem misplaced given the Pirates’ eight consecutive losing seasons. They were 69-93 this year, their fifth losing record in a row with Kendall catching.

Kendall will make $3.1 million in 2001. His new contract starts a year later and runs through 2007.

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The Philadelphia Phillies made their first move to shore up their weak bullpen by signing veteran reliever Jose Mesa to a two-year contract worth $6.8 million.

Mesa, 34, a free agent after pitching last season for the Seattle Mariners, received a $1-million signing bonus and base salaries of $2.4 million in 2001 and $3.4 million in 2002.

Mesa is expected to fill a middle relief or setup role with the Phillies. He once was a top closer, but lost his job in spring training last season to Japan’s Kazuhiro Sasaki, who went on to win the American League’s rookie-of-the-year award.

The Phillies did not promise Mesa the closer’s job because they are pursuing left-hander John Franco. Franco also could replace John Wetteland as the Texas Rangers’ closer, and is being pursued by the Pirates. The Mets have offered Franco a two-year contract.

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The Mets have contacted former Dodger pitcher Orel Hershiser about becoming their pitching coach, Newsday reported.

Hershiser confirmed Friday the Mets had contacted him and acknowledged interest in that opportunity and others that he declined to identify.

Hershiser, who turned 42 in September, appeared in 10 games, six as a starter, with the Dodgers. He produced a 1-5 record and 13.14 ERA in 24 2/3 innings.

The Mets have interviewed at least four candidates for the position: another former Dodger, Charlie Hough, and three members of their own minor league staff--Rick Waits, Randy Niemann and Ray Rippelmeyer.

The club also has vacancies for third-base coach, bullpen coach, batting coach and bench coach. Mookie Wilson, the first-base coach for four years, is the only coach on the staff.

A source said that former Yankee and Twin catcher Butch Wynegar and former Twin and Angel outfielder Ron Jackson are to be interviewed for the batting coach position.

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A proposed trade that would have sent San Diego third baseman Phil Nevin to Milwaukee for outfielder Jeromy Burnitz fell through when the Padres couldn’t agree with Burnitz on a contract extension.

Agreeing to a deal with Burnitz was the key to completing the trade because his current contract expires at the end of 2001, making him eligible for free agency. The Padres didn’t want to trade for him and then face the possibility that he’d leave after one season.

“It’s unfortunate that this affected a couple of players’ lives,” Padre General Manager Kevin Towers said of the talks. “My apologies not only to Jeromy Burnitz and his family but to Phil Nevin and his family that for a week or a two- or three-day period, they felt they may be changing addressees.”

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Second baseman Randy Velarde was traded from the Oakland Athletics to the Texas Rangers for minor league pitchers Ryan Cullen and Aaron Harang.

Velarde hit .278 with 12 homers and 41 RBIs in 122 games with the A’s last season.

“He is one of the top defensive second basemen in the game and brings an experienced veteran to our club,” Ranger General Manager Doug Melvin said.

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Luis Polonia, who became a free agent after winning the World Series with New York Yankees, is considering a $1.5-million contract offer from the Seibu Lions in Japan’s Pacific League.

“I would like to know what my value is in the major leagues before leaving for Japan,” Polonia said.

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Pitcher Felipe Lira and outfielder Mark Smith, a former USC and Arcadia High standout, were signed as minor league free agents by the Montreal Expos and invited to spring training. . . . Bobby Hill, the Chicago Cubs’ second-round pick in June’s amateur draft, agreed to a minor league contract and the infielder was invited to spring training.