Braves Know Who Money Players Are

If pitching has long been the name of the game, that is now amply reflected in the salary structure. Greg Maddux’s five-year $57.5-million contract with the Atlanta Braves makes him the highest-salaried player, period, and that was the objective.

“It was important to me to make sure that pitchers are paid like everyday players, because we’re just as valuable,” Maddux said. “Because I believed that, I had no problem asking for that [salary]. I think I was paid accordingly.”

Although the current list of the 10 highest-paid players includes four pitchers, the three others--Tom Glavine, Roger Clemens and John Smoltz--rank eight through 10. The Braves, including option years, have committed $162.25 million to Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz and Denny Neagle, with each signed through 2000, at least.

“The strength of our club is our starting pitching,” General Manager John Schuerholz said. “We’ll do everything we can to keep that intact.”

But something has to give, and Atlanta sources expect the following: Center fielder Kenny Lofton ($4.75 million) will be allowed to leave as a free agent and will probably end up with the Arizona Diamondbacks; first baseman Fred McGriff ($6 million in his final contract year of 1998) will be widely marketed this winter and exposed to the expansion draft; second baseman Mark Lemke ($2 million) will be allowed to leave as a free agent, and shortstop Jeff Blauser ($3.5 million) can turn free agent but probably will be re-signed because the Braves do not have a replacement.

Despite their pitching riches, the Braves are no longer a lock in the East, but they get one break as they eye the stretch: They are through with the Florida Marlins, who won eight of their 11 games this year, a concern to third baseman Chipper Jones, who said, “It seems like every time we have a big series against the Yankees or the Orioles or the Marlins or whoever, we just don’t play fundamental baseball. I don’t know what it is. You could say we’re choking. You could say we’re feeling the nerves. The bottom line is that we’re not getting the job done.”

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The Marlins won 10 of 13 games before the weekend and credit the acquisition of Darren Daulton for lighting a fire on and off the field. Daulton, despite nine knee surgeries, is among league leaders with seven triples and has even stolen four bases in five attempts. He’s the first to arrive and last to leave. Said coach Rich Donnelly: “He’s more than a spark, he’s a blowtorch.”

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It has been an injury-riddled season for shortstop Barry Larkin, currently out of the Cincinnati Reds’ lineup because of a partially torn Achilles’ tendon that will probably require off-season surgery. The injuries have created talk-show nonsense in Cincinnati about Larkin moving to third base or the outfield to make room for rookie Pokey Reese, or as Larkin said in San Diego before the Reds arrived in L.A.:

“If the people in Cincinnati think I’m not the best shortstop on the team, they can trade me to another team where I can play shortstop. I haven’t lost anything. When I think I have, I’ll move if there is somebody better than I am.”

Added interim Manager Jack McKeon: “If I’m the manager next year, Barry Larkin is my shortstop. He’s still the best.”

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The acquisition of Mark McGwire and return of Brian Jordan has reduced John Mabry to a utility role, although he is second among St. Louis Cardinals in games played. Said Mabry: “I don’t know what their plans are. I don’t get paid to think too much, and that’s a good thing.”