For $42 Million, Rodriguez Will Stay With the Rangers

The Texas Rangers and catcher Ivan Rodriguez agreed Thursday to a $42-million, five-year contract extension that will keep the six-time All-Star with the team through at least 2002.

The agreement came as Rodriguez’s days with the Rangers appeared to be numbered, either through a trade before the midnight EDT deadline or through free agency after this season.

The two sides split the difference between the $38-million offer he rejected last week and the $45 million his attorney, Jeff Moorad, said Rodriguez wanted.

The five-year, $42-million deal includes salaries of $6 million in 1998, $8 million in 1999, 2000 and 2001 and $9 million in 2002. Rodriguez also gets a $1-million signing bonus and a $2-million severance payment when his term with the Rangers ends, be it in 2002 or if he is traded.

After months of unsuccessful negotiations, Rodriguez initiated the breakthrough.

Without telling his attorney, Rodriguez walked into Ranger President Tom Schieffer’s office at 9 a.m. Thursday.

“He said he wanted to be a Texas Ranger his whole career and he wanted to see if he could work out a deal,” Schieffer said. “That really meant a lot to me, and I think it meant a lot to this franchise.”

Moorad said Rodriguez’s desire to remain in Texas overshadowed the temptation of potential free agency after this season.

“We always believed the Rangers were entitled to a Texas discount,” Moorad said. Barring Thursday’s deal, the Rangers had little choice but to trade Rodriguez if they hoped to get anything more than a draft pick for him after the season.

“There was a deal on the table,” Schieffer said, refusing to elaborate.

The New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles were among the teams reported to be interested.

Rodriguez, 25, is a career .291 hitter with 79 home runs and 387 runs batted in.

He is batting .332 with 11 home runs and 47 RBIs this season.

Earlier this week, it looked as if the Rangers were preparing to face the future without him, acquiring catcher Jim Leyritz and a player to be named from the Angels in exchange for right-handed pitcher Ken Hill.

It’s unclear now how the Rangers plan to use Leyritz.

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The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 11-6 Thursday for a bill to lift part of baseball’s antitrust exemption and make it play by the same labor rules as other professional sports.

“Approval of this bill is a major victory for baseball fans,” said Judiciary Chairman Orrin Hatch, a Utah Republican who has pushed for this measure since a players strike led to the cancellation of the 1994 World Series.

“It will bring about sound reforms that ensure that baseball remains strong and is treated fairly and properly under the antitrust laws,” Hatch said.

It would lift baseball’s 75-year-old antitrust exemption on labor laws, which among other things prevents players from lodging unfair labor practices complaints with the National Labor Relations Board. Other professional sports do not have that exemption.

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Atlanta center fielder Kenny Lofton was scratched Thursday because of a sore hip. . . . Right-hander Bryan Harvey, trying to come back from arm surgery, gave up one hit in three innings Wednesday for the Marlins’ Class-A affiliate in Brevard County. . . . In a minor trading-deadline deal, the Baltimore Orioles sent pitcher Mike Johnson to Montreal Expos for a player to be named. Johnson, 21, was designated for assignment by the Orioles on Monday. That move meant Baltimore had 10 days to either trade him or place him on waivers. Johnson was 0-0 with a a 15.26 ERA as a starter.

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Big Dollars

Baseball contracts with average annual values of $7 million or more. *--*

Player, Club Years Avg. Salary Barry Bonds, San Francisco 1999-00 $11,450,000 Albert Belle, White Sox 1997-01 $11,000,000 Sammy Sosa, Cubs 1998-01 $10,625,000 Gary Sheffield, Florida 1998-03 $10,166,667 Ken Griffey Jr., Seattle 1997-00 $8,500,000 Ivan Rodriguez, Texas 1998-02 $8,400,000 Tom Glavine, Atlanta 1998-01 $8,500,000 Roger Clemens, Toronto 1997-99 $8,250,000 John Smoltz, Atlanta 1997-00 $7,750,000 Mike Piazza, Dodgers 1997-98 $7,500,000 Barry Bonds, San Francisco 1993-98 $7,291,667 Frank Thomas, White Sox 1995-98 $7,250,000 Cecil Fielder, N.Y. Yankees 1993-97 $7,237,500 Ryne Sandberg, Cubs 1993-97 $7,100,000 Alex Fernandez, Florida 1997-01 $7,000,000

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