Reading Eagle - March 22, 1980

Maddox and Phillies Are Negotiating, Again

 

CLEARWATER, FLA. (AP) - Garry Maddox and the Philadelphia Phillies have reopened negotiations over the outfielder's demand for a five-year contract some insist is in excess of the $3.2 million the team pays Pete Rose.

 

The Associated Press learned that Maddox' agent, Jerry Kapstein, contacted the Phillies' Ruly Carpenter to reopen the negotiations which both sides said last week had reached an impass.

 

Carpenter told a reporter he had a long telephone conversation with Kapstein, who was in San Diego.

 

"We talked about several things," Carpenter said. "It was a very long conversation." The Philadelphia owner said no new numbers were exchanged, but that he and Kapstein agreed to get together in a few days and talk again.

 

"Today we talked about general concepts," Carpenter said, declining to elaborate.

 

But the Phillies owner made it clear that Maddox had sought the resumption of negotiations. "I always leave the door open," Carpenter said.

 

The 30-year-old Maddox, considered one of baseball's best centerfielders, confirmed that Kapstein and Carpenter talked for an hour and a half Friday.

 

"Jerry told me it was a positive meeting. Negotiations are open again. They will talk again Sunday," Maddox said. "Nothing different happened, but both are optimistic."

 

Maddox made it clear that he wanted to stay in Philadelphia but that the Phillies were going to have to come close to meeting his terms.

 

Maddox was concerned that people might misunderstand his demands.

 

"I don't mind if people get on my back as long as the get the fair figures," said the outfielder who last season won his fifth consecutive Golden (sic) Glove.

 

Maddox also said the negotiations would have to be settled by the end of spring training and before the season opened April 11. He said he would not negotiate during the season. Maddox is in his option year and can become a free agent at the end of the 1980 season.

 

Maddox said he wanted to be careful not to make any negative statements that would affect the new talks. But he did say that the Phillies had told him he is worth what he is asking and that he probably could get on the open market.

 

Maddox said he has the feeling that Carpenter is determined to draw the line on the ever-escalating baseball salaries, and that now is the time to do it.

 

When the negotiations, which began January 1, 1979, were terminated last week, Phillies’ personnel director Paul Owens said he would have to consider trading Maddox.

 

“We have to consider moving Maddox,” Owens said at the time. “I’m not going to take the chance of losing him for nothing.”

 

Teams which lose a free agent receive in return only an amateur draft pick, which is a bone of contention in the collective bargaining negotiations between baseball and the Players Association.

 

Owens said Friday that three clubs had inquired about the outfielder’s availability, but that no names were mentioned and he told them that he would get back to them.

 

Owens said that the terms of contract was no problem.

 

“It’s strictly the money,” said Owens.

 

Maddox, who hit .281 with 61 RBI and led the team with 26 stolen bases, said that if he was unable to reach an agreement he would make public the numbers involved so that the fans would not misjudge him. Maddox reportedly earns in excess of $400,000 a year.

 

Phils Win…

 

Sarasota (AP) – A two-out, eighth-inning rally produced five runs and led the Philadelphia Phillies “A” team to an 11-7 exhibition victory Friday over the Chicago White Sox.

 

Mike Anderson drove in two runs and Bake McBride, Luis Aguayo and Garry Maddox one each in the spree.

 

It was the second big inning of the game. The Phillies also scored four times in the fourth inning, including one on Keith Moreland’s home run off Steve Trout.

… And Lose

 

Dunedin, Fla. (AP) – J.J. Cannon hit a two-run homer run in the bottom of the 11th inning to power the Toronto Blue Jays over the Philadelphia Phillies B squad Friday.

 

Cannon’s blast marked the second day in a row the Jays have won on a homer in the 11th. Thursday, Lloyd Moseby hit a three-run shot to beat the New York Mets 4-2.

 

The Phillies moved in front 5-4 in the top of the 11th after Greg Gross scored on a double by George Vukovich, his second RBI of the game.

 

Jesus Hernaiz, the Phillies minor league pitching instructor, came on to pitch in the 11th after Philadelphia had run out of pitchers.