Phillies Plunge Into the Market

Not satisfied with delivering multi-year offers to free agents Jim Thome, David Bell and Tom Glavine on Tuesday, the first day teams could make offers to free agents other than their own, Philadelphia Phillies’ General Manager Ed Wade said he would fly to Seattle on Friday to meet with Jamie Moyer, the Mariner free-agent pitcher.

Wade insists he is not making offers to make offers -- “it’s not as if we’re taking billboards out in Philadelphia saying we’re going after these guys”--but that he is trying to aggressively enhance a team he believes capable of contending, taking advantage of what should be an improved revenue stream when the Phillies move into their new ballpark in 2004.

Of the offers to Thome, Bell and Glavine, Wade said he didn’t expect an immediate response.

“As much as I’d like to get three voice-mail messages tomorrow saying yes, I’m not going to bank on it,” he said. “We know this could take several weeks and that there are no guarantees.”

Even in an uncertain market, Glavine and Bell are expected to be widely pursued. It may be difficult luring Thome out of Cleveland, although the rebuilding Indians are unlikely to match the estimated five-year, $75-million Philadelphia offer, which sets a high ceiling for any other club that may bid on him.

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The general managers have been going from one heavy issue to another during their annual meeting in Tucson. One minute it’s bat boys. The next: uniforms.

Sandy Alderson, baseball’s executive vice president of operations, met with general managers Tuesday to discuss new directives prohibiting players from tucking their pants into their shoes, for instance, or putting individual tributes on their uniforms or caps, as some of the St. Louis Cardinals did in tribute to the late Darryl Kile.

“We’re not looking to make all uniforms uniform,” Alderson said. “We’re looking to eliminate extreme cases.”

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Dodger General Manager Dan Evans and assistant Kim Ng will leave the meetings and travel to Skokie, Ill., today for the funeral of Chicago White Sox senior vice president Jack Gould, who died Monday at 81. Gould was a mentor to Evans and Ng when they were with the White Sox.

-- Ross Newhan

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Angel pitching coach Bud Black rejected a two-year contract offer from the club and instead agreed to a one-year deal.

The Angels signed their other major league coaches to two-year deals. Black declined to discuss why he rejected his but said the decision did not signal an intention to leave the Angels after next season.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Black said. “A one-year deal just seemed better.”

The market for pitching coaches has jumped dramatically this fall and could do so again next year. The New York Mets offered their pitching coach job -- at a reported $450,000 -- to Dodger senior vice president Dave Wallace, who turned it down.

Black, who withdrew his name from consideration for the Indians’ managerial vacancy, has expressed interest in managing closer to his home in the San Diego area.

“Maybe he’ll have some different opportunities, maybe not,” General Manager Bill Stoneman said. “Certainly, we’re happy with him.”

Roenicke, hitting coach Mickey Hatcher, first base coach Alfredo Griffin and bench coach Joe Maddon all agreed to two-year contracts. Stoneman said bullpen coach Bobby Ramos rejected a two-year deal, citing the desire to spend more time at his family home in Florida. Ramos will become the Angels’ roving minor league catching instructor.

Bullpen catcher Orlando Mercado, who also received a two-year contract, is a candidate to replace Ramos.

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Angel third baseman Troy Glaus had surgery to remove an enlarged nerve from his right foot.

He is expected to be ready for spring training.

-- Bill Shaikin

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A home run by Barry Bonds couldn’t prevent major league All-Stars from losing to their Japanese counterparts for the third straight day, 8-6, at Osaka, Japan.

From Associated Press