Pirate Boss Blasts Owners

Pittsburgh’s Kevin McClatchy lashed out at other baseball owners Friday for a return of free-agent spending that he fears may steer some clubs close to bankruptcy.

McClatchy, the Pirates’ managing general partner, warned of a growing division between big-payroll and small-market clubs that could lead to contentious owners meetings and a much-harder stance during the next labor negotiations. The labor deal with players runs until December 2006.

“I don’t know what happened, maybe they drank some funny water, but they all decided they were back on the binge,” McClatchy said.

“When somebody goes out and pays an average pitcher $7 million a year, then anybody who’s an average pitcher says they need $7 million a year. That’s very difficult, and when you’re giving pitchers $18 million in arbitration, that also makes it difficult.”

After two off-seasons with relatively few huge contracts, McClatchy admittedly was stunned with what he called a series of signings that were “ridiculous -- at best.”

McClatchy’s sharp talk mirrors that of the Orioles’ Peter Angelos, who said first baseman Carlos Delgado’s $52-million contract with Florida reflects baseball’s “fiscal insanity.”

“What you don’t want to see is some of these teams spend themselves into bankruptcy -- that’s not good for any of the league, that becomes a liability on all of us,” McClatchy said.

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The baseball Doug Mientkiewicz caught for the out that ended the Boston Red Sox’s 86-year championship drought is going back to the team -- for one year, anyway.

The club and its former first baseman announced that while no decision has been made on who owns the ball, it would be encased in a special plaque and join the World Series trophy on its victory tour.

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The Dodgers submitted a sealed bid for Japanese third baseman Norihiro Nakamura and will find out early next week whether they won negotiating rights with the 31-year-old player.... Former Dodger right-hander Paul Shuey agreed to a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians.