Mural debate dims Phils' bow

By Ray W. Kelly of the Courier-Post

PHILADELPHIA – Another opening, another no.

Kiteman says, yes, he'll fly despite the tricky downdrafts at Veterans Stadium.

Garry Maddox says, yes, he'll put his rapidly-improving contract negotiations with the Phillies aside and patrol center field with vigor.

Steve Carlton doesn't say anything. Still, you can bet the rent he can't wait to throw the first pitch of the 1980 baseball season against righthander Steve Rogers and the Montreal Expos.

NOW, YOU would think with all that confirmation, affirmation and excitation coming to a boil at 8:05 this evening, everything would come off without a hitch. You'd think that. But, noooooooooo!

Montreal Manager Dick Williams took one look at the dandy new mural of the Philadelphia skyline recently painted on the backdrop behind the center field fence at the Vet and began grumbling something about officially protesting the season opener.

It seems that during the Expos' Thursday afternoon workout at the stadium, a number of Montreal hitters complained during batting practice that when the pitcher threw the ball, it got lost in the bottom part of the lovely, light blue rendering of Independence Hall.

WHEN WORD of the threatened reaction by Williams reached the ears of promotions wizard Bill Giles, the Phils' vice president ordered the offending portion of the painting retouched in a darker blue.

"No problem now," said Phils' slugger Greg Luzinski last evening as he and his teammates went about the business of strutting their stuff before several thousand fans who showed up to watch the free-bee practice.

Whether the latest artwork meets with the approval of critic Williams remains to be seen this evening. But, it's hard to imagine him doing anything besides begging the umpires to get things underway.

MONTREAL BEAT the Phils the first eight times the two teams met last season, the Expos winding up with an 11-7 record against the Phils for the campaign and a 5-4 edge at the Vet.

Then, there is the fact that not since 1974 have the Phils won a season-opener that was played in their home ballpark. On home openers, in the past nine years they've posted a 4-5 record.

The Phils, who will be unveiling a completely-revised bench and two new coaches (Ruben Amaro at first and Lee Elia at third) on the basepaths, think there is no time like the present to start changing those numbers.

THEY WILL have eight players in uniform who weren't on the opening-day roster last season, including rookies Scott Munninghoff, Keith Moreland, Lonnie Smith, Luis Aguayo and George Vukovich.

One veteran who has seen his share of opening days with the Phils, center fielder Maddox, is hoping this won't be his last.

"I like it here and so does my family," he said. "I want to stay in Philly because everything's been done for me here. I've been treated fairly by the organization. I've had another place (San Francisco) to compare it too. And, I like it here."

MADDOX DOESNT think the contract negotiations between his agent, Jerry Kapstein, and Phils General Manager Paul Owens will result in an agreement before Kiteman takes the plunge.

"I am optimistic, however," said Garry. "They came up because we came down first. Plus, we've lifted the deadline about not negotiating once the season started.

"I did that because we're close enough to make me feel that maybe we can work something out. Negotiations have been intense and in good faith."

MADDOX ADMITTED even if the Phils agreed to the price he was currently seeking, he would not become the highest paid member of the team. It had been speculated that at one time Garry was seeking as high as 900,000 per season.

"No, I don't want $800,000 (Pete Rose's . figure)... I'd take $700,000, but it's not even that," said Maddox. "That's what I can't understand. They tell me that what I'm asking is reasonable. But, they won't give it to me."

Reasonable, of course, depends on where you're standing. It's reasonably certain that Maddox would get at least $700,000 per year if he went into the free agent draft. The Phils, however, are finished paying those inflated prices.

"THEY CHOSE to draw the line," said Garry. "I realize I'm going to have to go into the season without a contract and with the possibility that I might be traded.

"There's no question, however, that if these talks don't lead to a settlement, that will be it."

In the meantime, there are the Montreal Expos to consider. They have hit the most home runs of any team visiting the Vet in the past two years. Which is ironic, since the stadium has as part of the center field mural a new fireworks display.

SOMETIME during the weekend, it's bound to be tested.

Tomorrow's game, incidentally, will start at 1:15 and feature Dick Ruthven against Montreal's spaceman Bill Lee. The conclusion of the three-game series will have Larry Christenson facing Expos Scott Sanderson. Then, it's off to St. Louis for the Phils.

Phillies Return to Vet for Tonight’s Opener Against Expos

By Pete Wickham, Press Sports Writer

PHILADELPHIA —  Used to be that opening day of the baseball season was the ultimate spring tonic, This year. however, it might be nothing more than a salve. 

The Philadelphia Phillies came home to Veterans Stadium Thursday night, and finished up preparations for tonight’s 8:05 p.m. opener (Steve Carlton vs. Steve Rogers) against the Montreal Expos at a public workout. It drew about 5,000 people, but ended on a sour note when many of the fans stormed the field at the end of the workout, forcing players to practice their Series escape plan. 

For tonight, at least, there is renewal. A third Kite Man will try and fly from center field heaven to the pitcher’s mound, and the Phils, a disappointing fourth in the National League East last year, will get a chance to redeem themselves. 

But everyone in that park last night knew good and well that this could be borrowed time. The players closed down the exhibition season's last 10 days after failing to work out a new basic agreement with the owners. 

And while they will play up to Memorial Day, they say as a sign of good faith, the game could easily hit the pavement just in time for summer. 

Concern showed on Phils’ vice president Bill Giles, who walked around with a ‘playful’ sandwich board around his neck saying “Plenty of Good Tickets Available.” 

“We’re only expecting a crowd of about 35,000-40,000 for tonight's game to be honest,” Giles said. “We had to take out ads saying that the season would start. 

“Group sales have been hurt because people aren’t going to put down their money if they're not sure about whether a game will be played. And we've lost about 800 season tickets since December. Let's just say it will be a tough April, but a glorious October. We hope.” 

There was no hiding behind the bunting on the grandstands, and Phils’ player rep Larry Bowa knew it. 

“If we can't get this thing solved before Memorial Day, and if games are missed because of this, then they have every right to be on us,” said Bowa. “But right now I think what they are doing is anticipating trouble that is not there right now. The mail I’ve gotten about this thing has been incredible. There may not be much movement now; there usually isn’t until you get close to a deadline. But I’m sure that both sides will come up with some type of compromise. Just be patient until then, that’s all we ask.” 

Bowa insists the 10 day blackout didn’t hurt that much. 

“We didn’t play the last 10 days, but five of those games would’ve been rained out. And everyone stayed and worked. The pitchers may not be as far as the hitters usually are at this time of the season, that’s all. 

“Sure that had me worried. A lot of things could’ve unraveled. You never know how individuals are going to react. But we hung together and that's a good sign. We have things to prove this year. We think about May 22 right now and we could be 3-22 before it comes around.” 

First-year manager Dallas Green has said he plans to use the same prod from time to time in the early season. 

“We’ve lost time, sure. The type of things we were trying to teach in spring training take constant effort, and before the strike vote nobody’s mind was on baseball. I can only try to be understanding about that,” Green said. 

“We went down there aiming to mold ourselves into a good ball team. I think we had a good spring training under the circumstances. But now we have to prove ourselves. We won’t know a lot until we go through some adversity. But the only way we do that is to keep working.” 

Over in another corner, center fielder Garry Maddox had double troubles on his mind. Forget the basic agreement. He and the Phils are still apart on a new contract, and the club has said they would rather trade him than wind up losers in the free agent pool. 

“I didn’t want to go into a season this way. It's not something that will paralyze me, but I know it’s something that will be on my mind,” Maddox said. 

“There won’t be any problems tomorrow, because the excitement of starting a new season usually takes care of everything else. But after that, I don’t know.”

Maddox, Phils Move Closer  

SAN DIEGO Calif (AP) — Garry Maddox and the Philadelphia Phillies are close to agreement on a new contract, Jerry Kapstein, the outfielder’s agent, said Thursday, and Kapstein lifted the deadline he had imposed on a contract signing. 

Kapstein, who has been negotiating the contract since January 1979, had said that if Maddox were not signed by the Phillies’ opening game Friday, there would be no further talks until after the free agent draft in October. 

Maddox, whose five-year contract expires in September, would become a free agent at season's end if he does not sign by then. The Phillies then would have to contend in negotiations with other teams that might select him in the re-entry draft. 

‘‘We are so close, and enough momentum has been achieved that I am optimistic we can work out something in the next couple of days,” Kapstein said. "So I called Ruly Carpenter (the Phillies’ owner) at his home and told him the deadline is off.” 

Kapstein declined to discuss areas of agreement, but said both sides had made “significant modifications.” They are “headed in the right direction” and added that final agreement could be only four or five days away. 

“Some areas of disagreement remain but I am hopeful they can be settled,” he said.

Speculation has been that Maddox, who is 30, was seeking another long-term contract that would keep him in Philadelphia for the rest of his playing career. 

Kapstein said the length of the contract was a part of the negotiations, but would not discuss specifics. 

Maddox, a golden glove outfielder, is in his fourth season with the Phillies, and after eight years in the majors has a lifetime .293 batting average.