Does It Pay? : Angels Have Gone From Open Wallet to Tough, Statistic-Oriented Approach

Here it was, the first inning of a recent exhibition game between the Angels and the Cleveland Indians, and already General Manager Mike Port had been found and cornered by reporters in his box seat near field’s edge.

The questions began. Had he renewed Wally Joyner’s contract?

What was Devon White’s salary status?

What were Port’s thoughts concerning free agency? Arbitration?

How does he determine a player’s financial worth?

On it went, with Port politely answering each question until suddenly, he stopped and gestured toward the playing field.

“This is the game,� he said, finger pointed at the diamond. “This is where the game takes place.�

Not anymore, it isn’t, at least not solely. Not with Joyner going public with contract gripes. Or White providing daily reports on his own negotiations. Or Johnny Ray demanding a contract extension because of his move from second base to left field. Or Bob Boone and Dick Schofield taking the Angels to arbitration--and winning.

Port may point toward the field, but the game is also played in his Anaheim Stadium office, or over an agent’s car phone, or at an arbitration hearing.

The twofold object of the game is simple enough:

--Win the World Series.

--Don’t break the bank trying to do it.

These are Port’s goals. So far, according to figures compiled by the Major League Players Assn., he’s one for two.

For instance, the Angels’ average player salary, historically among the league’s highest, ranked 13th among 26 teams in 1987. Only a season earlier, the Angels had been fifth. In 1985, they were fourth. And a year before that, they were third.

So although Port and owner Gene Autry can’t be too crazy about the Angels’ last-place finish in the American League West last season, at least they know failure came cheaper.

And about the C-word--don’t mention it around Autry. Call the Angels frugal, economical, bargain-hunters, blue-light specialists, thrifty, discriminating, conservative or reasonable, but don’t call them cheap.

Here’s what happens when you do:

“When you take a man like Donnie Moore and you give him a million dollars a year and he hasn’t done a damn thing for you in two years, I don’t think that’s very cheap,� Autry said.

� . . . My gawd, just look at the players that we’ve paid. We’ve been up there over $17 million and still haven’t been in a World Series. You can’t be very cheap to put out that kind of money. I don’t see how that can be cheap. I think we’ve been very liberal, to tell you the truth. My gawd, our payroll has always been right up there.

“In all the years that I’ve been (an owner)--this is my 28th year--I’ve given out a lot of contracts--big contracts--and I’ve never heard a player who’s having a bad year, including Donnie Moore, come to me and say, ‘You overpaid me. I wasn’t worth it.’ Actually, only one player ever did that: an outfielder named Lyman Bostock.�

See?

Maybe cheap isn’t the word. But the Angels are not nearly so free with the dollars these days. Used to be that Autry would pull out his wallet at the mention of a free agent. Frank LaCorte? A millionaire. Bill Travers? A millionaire. Bruce Kison? A millionaire. All thanks to Autry.

Now the Angels are careful. Now you need the Jaws of Life to pry open that same wallet.

“It’s not a conscious effort on my part,� Port said. “Certainly we work with budget plans and so forth, but the way I go about it, to the best of my ability, is to try to correlate these gentlemen’s performance to the salary structure.�

Free agents are trickier. “A different breed of cat,� Port said. “That’s a different market situation. That’s where the word worth comes into play. When you look at a guy, it’s a new commodity that you’re bringing into your picture.�

When outfielder Chili Davis became available during the off-season, the Angels were interested enough.

Davis earned $815,000 with the San Francisco Giants in 1987. The Angels signed him for $850,000--an on-paper raise of only $35,000. But, the contract also includes incentive clauses that could increase Davis’ earnings to about $1 million. The key word is could.

The Angels’ free-agent philosophy is this: They’re not reluctant to sign one--Autry and Port have said that much--they just want to be absolutely, positively certain that the guy isn’t the reincarnation of, say, Travers, who pitched a whopping 9 innings in 1981, the first year of his contract.

The Angels also have shown that they can find inventive ways to trim the player salary budget.

For example, rather than pay Gary Lucas $650,000 this year, they exercised a buyout clause and, in the process, rid themselves of their only left-handed reliever. Not surprisingly, the Angels are rooting hard for rookie Frank DiMichele, a left-handed reliever, to make the team this spring. DiMichele, by the way, would earn $62,500.

Rather than pay Doug DeCinces $140,000 in buyout money, the Angels released him shortly before the end of the 1987 season. It didn’t do much for the Angels’ image, but it did save $140,000.

And rather than match Boone’s full 1987 salary of $883,000 in 1988, the Angels told an arbitrator that the Gold Glove catcher, who also increased his batting average 20 points, should be paid $710,000. The Angels lost that one.

Surprisingly, Boone didn’t take it personally.

“What you’re seeing is that they’re taking a businesslike fiscal approach to their problem,� Boone said. “You can’t begrudge that to them. I’m making almost $900,000; I can’t call anyone cheap. I may not agree with how those numbers come about, but they are acting in a way they perceive as a fiscally responsible way.

“I mean, in the history of the organization, they’ve made a lot of dumb financial moves,� he said. “They’re not asking, but I would tell them that. There were a lot of mistakes made that weren’t fiscally responsible. Now they’re trying to correct that.�

According to the MLPA, the average salary paid by the Angels was $445,375 last year, which is considerably less than the $555,275 average paid by the Kansas City Royals, who had the major league’s highest salary average last year. The 1987 Angel average also is only slightly higher than the $431,421 Angel average of 1984.

What it means is that conscious effort or not, the Angels are reducing player salary costs. They also have benefited from having four starters in their lineup who have less than three years of major league experience.

“Negotiating for a 0- to 3-year player is like negotiating with one arm tied behind your back,� said Jeff Moorad, who represents McLemore.

Outfielder Devon White had 24 home runs, 87 runs batted in and 32 stolen bases in his first full season with the Angels. The Angels paid him $70,000 in 1987 and will pay him $185,000 in 1988. The 1987 major league average for outfielders is $577,313.

Second baseman Mark McLemore didn’t make anyone forget Bobby Grich last season, but he does have flair and the Angels thought enough of him to bump Ray from second to left. McLemore made the minimum last year--$62,500--and will make $122,500 this season, with a $7,500 Gold Glove incentive. The 1987 major league average: $530,415.

“I would say this about Mike Port,� Moorad said. “He’s a classic technocrat in terms of a negotiator. Honestly, in a positive sense, there is some similarity to (Ram Vice President) John Shaw and (Ram General Counsel) Jay Zygmunt. They are negotiators who are statistic laden, extremely thorough in their analyses, who really make you fight for every last dollar.

“To give you an example, we had a very progressive negotiation. Mike moved his offer one, two, three, four, five, six times. It’s an approach I think is somewhat distinctive. The process does not offend me. So I would have to characterize my experience with Mike as fair.�

Third baseman Jack Howell has spent a little more than two seasons in the majors. He’ll make $200,000 this year, compared with the $95,000 he made last season. The 1987 major league average: $685,680.

Reliever DeWayne Buice made the minimum last year, despite 57 appearances and a team-leading 17 saves. This year, Buice is expected to earn about $130,000 in salary. The 1987 major league average: $303,610.

Nowhere have the Angels taken a firmer line than in the case of Joyner, who made $165,000 in salary and another $15,000 in bonuses in 1987, all while hitting .285, 34 homers and driving in 117 runs. A season earlier, in his rookie year, he hit .290, 22 home runs and had 100 RBIs.

The Angels responded with a raise--$160,000--that almost doubled his previous salary. It also kept him in line with other comparable players of his class--Will Clark of the San Francisco Giants, Jose Canseco of the Oakland Athletics. But contrasted with the 1987 major league average, $724,085, and an even higher $834,457 for American League first basemen, Joyner’s salary is glaringly low.

“In the spectrum of what players of this particular time of service are being paid, (the Angels) were in line,� said Barry Axelrod, who helped represent Joyner in recent contract negotiations. “I can’t say they were cheap, but I don’t think they treated Wally Joyner fairly.�

Added Dan Grigsby, who represents Schofield and is well seasoned when it comes to Angel financial tactics: “Port is very sensitive to what other players are making around the league. I think everyone is very sensitive to that. Clearly, Joyner is worth more than he’s making this year. The Angels aren’t going to say that. Sometimes I think (Port) pays too much attention to raw statistics. But I think Mike is an astute businessman.�

Joyner isn’t the first player to be put through Port’s negotiating seminar, but he’s the most visible at the moment.

Generally, said agents who have dealt with the Angels, Port waits until the last possible moment to tender offers. When he does, the numbers are almost always low. And Port also has a habit of taking his time returning agents’ phone calls.

Port also likes to bracket players, meaning that he finds peers with comparable major league playing time, performance and salary, and then fits your guy in.

Axelrod unsuccessfully argued that Joyner deserved to be placed beyond the normal bracket, that his performance warranted special treatment. The Boston Red Sox did it with Roger Clemens. So why couldn’t the Angels do it with Joyner?

“They saw (Clemens’ situation) as an aberration,� Axelrod said glumly. “During negotiations, there was voiced the concern (by the Angels) that they were trying to stay in line with what other teams were doing in the climate of baseball, of other teams.

“What the Angels have failed to do is temper that with the fact that (Joyner) is a productive 2-year-plus player. But generally, they would go back to the argument that he only had a limited time of major league game service.�

Although the Angels tend to make life difficult for the 0- to 3-year player, they do tend to pay their veterans well:

--Boone makes the aforementioned $883,000, though he had to fight for every penny of it.

--Schofield went to arbitration and won $552,222, which goes nicely with $25,000 in incentives for a Gold Glove and All-Star selection.

--Davis gets his $850,000 salary.

--Ray, despite his complaining, will earn $700,000 this year.

--Designated hitter Brian Downing gets $900,000.

--Pitcher Mike Witt has $1.4 million coming to him in salary this season.

--Moore, in the final year of his contract, will earn about $1 million, which includes a pro-rating of his signing bonus over 3 years.

The C-word? Not really. Just picky.

Caught in the middle of all this is Port, who doesn’t seem that concerned with his image of being a tightwad. To the contrary.

“Being a nice fellow, or coming across as one, is very, very easy,� he said. “To me, it is a matter of simply going to the player and saying, ‘What do you want? Fine, you’ve got it.’

“The only problem with that is, Mike Port is perceived as a tremendous fellow . . . but the fans would still be unhappy . . . because of our bottom ticket price of $25.75 a seat.�

ANGEL SALARY CHART

PLAYER: Tony Armas

1988: $100,000

1989: --

Incentives: $50,000 if on the roster June 15; $50,000 if on the roster July 15; $50,000 if on the roster Aug. 16; $50,000 if on the roster Sept. 15; $25,000 if he appears in 50 games or makes 200 plate appearances and a similar award at 75 or 250, 100 or 300, 110 or 350, 120 or 400, 130 or 450 and 140 or 500.

PLAYER: Bob Boone

1988: $883,000

1989: --

Incentives: --

PLAYER: Bill Buckner

1988: $400,000

1989: --

Incentives: $25,000 if he makes 300 plate appearances and a similar award at 400, 425 and 450 plate appearances.

PLAYER: DeWayne Buice

1988: $150,000

1989: --

Incentives: $15,000 if he makes the All-Star team.

PLAYER: Stewart Cliburn

1988: --

1989: --

Incentives: --

PLAYER: Chili Davis

1988: $850,000

1989: --

Incentives: $50,000 if he appears in 130 games; $50,000 if he appears in 150 games; $50,000 if he makes the All-Star team.

PLAYER: Frank DiMichele

1988: $ 62,500

1989: --

Incentives: --

PLAYER: Brian Downing

1988: $900,000

1989: $850,000 not guaranteed

Incentives: $50,000 if he makes the All-Star team.

PLAYER: Jim Eppard

1988: $62,500

1989: --

Incentives: $10,000 if rookie of the year

PLAYER: Jack Fimple

1988: $77,500

1989: --

Incentives: --

PLAYER: Chuck Finley

1988: $111,000

1989: --

Incentives: --

PLAYER: Willie Fraser

1988: $125,000

1989: --

Incentives: --

PLAYER: Bryan Harvey

1988: $62,500

1989: --

Incentives: --

PLAYER: George Hendrick

1988: $600,000

1989: --

Incentives: --

PLAYER: Jack Howell

1988: $200,000

1989: --

Incentives: --

PLAYER: Joe Johnson

1988: $157,000

1989: --

Incentives: Receives two points per start and one point per relief appearance and earns $750 per point with a maximum award of 50 points.

PLAYER: Wally Joyner

1988: $340,000

1989: --

Incentives: $100,000 if he wins league MVP award; $50,000 if playoff MVP; $50,000 if World Series MVP.

PLAYER: Ray Krawczyk

1988: --

1989: --

Incentives: --

PLAYER: Jack Lazorko

1988: $97,000

1989: --

Incentives: $5,000 if he wins a Gold Glove.

PLAYER: Kirk McCaskill

1988: $262,000

1989: --

Incentives: $11,000 if he pitches 170 innings and a similar award at 180 innings, 190, 200, 210, 220, 230 and 240; $15,000 if he makes the All-Star team.

PLAYER: Mark McLemore

1988: $122,500

1989: --

Incentives: $7,500 if he wins a Gold Glove.

PLAYER: Darrell Miller

1988: $107,500

1989: --

Incentives: --

PLAYER: Greg Minton

1988: $500,000

1989: --

Incentives: $25,000 if he appears in 40 games and a similar award at 50, 55 and 65 games.

PLAYER: Donnie Moore

1988: $850,000

1989: --

Incentives: $125,000 if first, $100,000 if second and $75,000 if third in voting for league MVP award. Same bonuses for Cy Young, Rolaids Fireman of the Year awards. Cannot receive more than $250,000 a year in bonuses.

PLAYER: Dan Petry

1988: $785,000

1989: --

Incentives: --

PLAYER: Gus Polidor

1988: $97,000

1989: --

Incentives: --

PLAYER: Johnny Ray

1988: $700,000

1989: --

Incentives: $30,000 if he appears in 130 games or makes 540 plate appearances; $30,000 if he appears in 140 games or makes 580 plate appearances; $40,000 if he appears in 155 games or makes 625 plate appearances; $25,000 if he makes the All-Star team; $25,000 if he wins a Silver Slugger award; $25,000 if he wins a Gold Glove; $60,000 if he is the league MVP; $40,000 if 2nd through 5th in MVP voting; $20,000 if 6th through 10th in MVP voting; $50,000 if he keeps his weight under 186 pounds throughout the season.

PLAYER: Mark Ryal

1988: $88,000

1989: --

Incentives: --

PLAYER: Dick Schofield

1988: $552,222

1989: --

Incentives: $25,000 if he wins a Gold Glove; $25,000 if he makes the All-Star team.

PLAYER: Chico Walker

1988: unavailable

1989: --

Incentives: --

PLAYER: Devon White

1988: $185,000

1989: --

Incentives: --

PLAYER: Mike Witt

1988: $1.4 million

1989: $1.4 million

Incentives: $50,000 if he wins the Cy Young award; $50,000 if league MVP; $50,000 if he makes the All-Star team; $25,000 if playoff MVP; $25,000 if World Series MVP

PLAYER: Butch Wynegar

1988: $700,000

1989: club option at $750,000

Incentives: $25,000 if he appears in 100 games and a similar award at 135; $25,000 if he makes 425 plate appearances and a similar award at 500; $25,000 if he makes the All-Star team; $25,000 if he wins a Gold Glove.

NOTES --Brian Downing is in the second year of a three-year contract. He received $900,000 in the first year.

--George Hendrick is in the fifth year of a five-year contract he initially signed with the St. Louis Cardinals. He received a $50,000 signing bonus, and salaries of $330,000, $300,000, $550,000 and $600,000 in the first four years, with another $980,000 to be deferred.

--Donnie Moore is in the third year of a three-year contract. He received a $450,000 signing bonus from the Angels, and salaries of $850,000 in the first two years.

--Johnny Ray is in the fifth year of a five-year contract he signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He received a $160,000 signing bonus, and salaries of $350,000, $500,000, $575,000 and $625,000 in the first four years.

--Butch Wynegar is in the third year of a four-year contract he initially signed with the New York Yankees. He received a $100,000 signing bonus, and salaries of $700,000 in the first two years.

--Frank DiMichele, Jim Eppard, Jack Fimple and Bryan Harvey have split contracts. DiMichele will receive $1,400 a month when and if he is in the minors. Eppard will be paid on the basis of a $27,000 salary when and if he is in the minors, Fimple on the basis of a $42,500 salary and Harvey on the basis of a $30,000 salary.

Information acquired from Major League Players Assn.