BASEBALL : Royals Swap Bats, Getting Jose for Jefferies

The Kansas City Royals completed their off-season overhaul Friday by sending Gregg Jefferies--the centerpiece of a major trade last winter--to St. Louis for outfielder Felix Jose.

Jose, who batted .295 with 14 home runs and 75 runs batted in in 131 games last year, will play right field and be asked to provide some much-needed punch in the middle of the lineup. The Cardinals included infielder Craig Wilson in the deal, and the Royals threw in minor league outfielder Ed Gerald.

Keith Miller, left without a position with the return of designated hitter George Brett for one more year, will replace the error-prone Jefferies at third base. With newly acquired Greg Gagne at shortstop and Jose Lind at second base, the Royals plan to have only one returning starter--first baseman Wally Joyner--in the infield.

In addition, the Royals spent millions to coax free-agent pitcher David Cone back to his native Kansas City.

“Other than some fine-tuning, I think we were able to accomplish our winter goals,� Royal General Manager Herk Robinson said. “We were able to complete all the things we felt had to be done. If we were wrong, then we wrong.�

Jefferies, a switch-hitting 25-year-old, batted .285 with 10 homers and 75 RBIs in his only season with the Royals. He, Miller and Kevin McReynolds, who will switch from right to left field, came from the Mets last winter for two-time Cy Young winner Bret Saberhagen and infielder Bill Pecota.

Jose, 27, is also a switch-hitter who is expected to provide better defense and speed. Though Kansas City hopes he will hit more home runs, Royals Stadium is similar to Busch Stadium in St. Louis, both of them big ballparks that can cut down power numbers.

Jim Abbott lost his arbitration case Friday when arbitrator Anthony Sinicropi picked the New York Yankees’ $2.35-million offer instead of the pitcher’s $3.5-million request.

Abbott, who made $1.85 million last year, was traded to the Yankees by the Angels on Dec. 6 after going 7-15 despite a 2.77 earned-run average, fifth-best in the American League.

The salary is the 10th highest awarded in salary arbitration. Owners have won five of eight cases decided this year.

Yankee General Manager Gene Michael said the team still hoped to agree to a multiyear deal with Abbott, who is eligible for free agency after the 1994 season.

The Seattle Mariners avoided two arbitration cases, agreeing with outfielder Jay Buhner at $2,772,500 and with pitcher Norm Charlton at $2,335,000.

Buhner nearly doubled his salary from the $1,445,000 he made last season. He had asked for $3,345,000 in arbitration and the Mariners had offered $2.2 million.

Charlton, who made $1.17 million with Cincinnati in 1992, also nearly doubled his salary. He had asked for $2.67 million, while the Mariners had offered $2 million.

Houston Astro third baseman Juan Guerrero shouted epithets at reporters and broke the camera of one photographer Friday after his hearing on drug charges in the Dominican Republic.

Guerrero was arrested Jan. 30 and accused of consuming crack cocaine. He has denied the accusation. The hearing before magistrate William Ramos in San Cristobal was held so he could determine if there was enough evidence to send the case to a criminal judge for trial.

If convicted, the infielder could receive up to a year in prison.

Guerrero batted .200 in 125 at-bats for Houston in 1992 with one home run and 14 RBIs. He is on the Astros’ 40-man roster, and has not yet signed a contract for 1993.