Padre Notebook : Committee Puts Free-Agent Offers in Same Ballpark

SAN DIEGO — When the Padres offered free-agent pitchers Bruce Hurst and Mike Moore contracts last week, acting president Dick Freeman said the offers “are very competitive, in both cases, with offers that are already on the table.”

Freeman can say that with confidence, because he knows exactly what the other offers are.

Major league owners--found guilty of collusion after the 1985 and ’86 seasons--started an information bank last year with management’s Player Relations Committee. Most owners are reporting contract offers to the committee, which are then shared with other interested clubs.

It’s all done on a voluntary basis, and the teams believe that this method of exchanging information is allowed under the collective bargaining agreement because the teams are not in direct contact with each other.

The Major League Players Assn. was against the idea, and sought to have it stopped. But arbitrator George Nicolau ruled 2 weeks ago that the committee could continue the practice but must tell the union of any offers registered to players. Last week, the committee agreed to telephone the union immediately after learning of an offer.

“It’s something we started last year as an outgrowth of the conspiracy charges,” said John Westhoff, associate counsel for the committee. “We’ve had many instances of agents misrepresenting to clubs what’s out there. Also, it’s a conspiracy if the clubs call each other. This is voluntary--the clubs don’t speak to each other.”

So, when the Padres were deciding whether to make pitches to Hurst and Moore, they were able to call the committee and find out what other offers the players had.

Aside from Boston, San Diego was the first club to make an offer to Hurst, a left-hander who was 18-6 with a 3.66 earned-run average last year. Moore, a right-hander who was 17-10 in 1985 before falling under .500 in each of the past 3 seasons, has received offers from Seattle, St. Louis, Milwaukee, and Texas.

The Padres have offered Hurst a 3-year contract reported at anywhere from $4.5 million and $4.9 million, and they have offered Moore 2 years for an estimated $2.65 million. Hurst made $900,000 last year, and Moore earned $481,950.

Nick Lampros, Hurst’s agent, confirmed in a telephone conversation with Freeman Friday that Hurst is interested in the Padre offer.

Freeman said he expects to talk with Ron Shapiro, Moore’s agent, this week.

Regarding the Padres’ two free agents, shortstop Garry Templeton and pitcher Andy Hawkins, Freeman said there was nothing new to report.

“We’re still optimistic about re-signing Garry,” Freeman said.

The Padres and Hawkins are still far apart, however.

“I still don’t know about him,” Freeman said. “He’s expressed an interest in testing the open market.”

For now, the Padre pitching rotation includes right-handers Ed Whitson, Eric Show, Dennis Rasmussen and newly acquired Walt Terrell.

“The way we’re approaching it, we’d like to sign one more starter to finish the rotation,” Freeman said. “You always would like another left-handed starter, but that’s not imperative.”

If Jim Winters, Padre director of broadcasting, feels as if his office walls are closing in on him, well, you really can’t blame him. He spent last week listening to about 75 tapes the club has received from prospective replacements for broadcaster Dave Campbell, whose contract was not renewed after last season.

Winters rated the tapes on a scale of 1-10 last week, and this week he’s listening again to the tapes he graded a 6 or better.

Despite speculation that the Padres might hire former NBC broadcaster Joe Garagiola, Winters said they have not yet talked.

“I really don’t think Joe wants to become involved,” Winters said. “We’re looking for someone who will eventually step into Jerry’s (Coleman) role. The primary goal is to find someone who, at some point in time after working with Jerry as the No. 2 guy, will be ready to step in for him and become the No. 1 guy.”

Winters’ goal is to have decided by Christmas.

“When I wake up Christmas morning, I want that guy’s name in my stocking,” Winters said.