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Yankees withdraw offer to Jack Morris

 
Published July 21, 1996|Updated Sept. 16, 2005

Yankees officials said they were close to a deal with former Tigers ace Jack Morris on Saturday but revoked the offer after a disagreement about minor-league starts.

The team said it wanted the 41-year-old to make two starts. Morris, 5-1 with the independent St. Paul Saints, said he wanted New York to commit to promoting him after one start.

Scouting director Gene Michael watched Morris when he allowed 11 hits in 10 innings as the Saints beat Madison 7-6 in 12 Thursday to win the Northern League first-half title.

"He didn't like what he saw," manager Joe Torre said. "We removed the offer from the table."

Jim Barrons, agent for the 254-game winner, said the Yankees never gave him a final chance to ask Morris to make the second start.

"We had agreed on all the minor- and major-league terms," Barrons said. "I guess the difference of one game in the minors makes a difference to them. I'm surprised after the strong interest they had showed."

MARINERS: 3B Edgar Martinez left the game against California with a rib injury. Both Martinez and C John Marzano had to leave after they collided trying to catch a second-inning popup by Pat Borders. Martinez, on a record pace with 44 doubles and hitting .335, collided with Marzano as he dove to make the catch. Martinez finished the inning but left for a pinch-hitter in the top of the third, complaining of bruised ribs. Marzano, who left the game immediately, was cut around his left eye.

ORIOLES: OF Brady Anderson, who led the majors with 31 homers before missing the past two games, said two ultrasounds confirmed an inflamed appendix."I'm going to try to avoid surgery at all costs," he said after appearing at Fenway Park following the loss to Boston. "As someone who wants to miss as few games as possible, I'm going to try to avoid the surgery. But you don't want to be stupid about it."

REDS: The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that John Allen, who took over owner Marge Schott's administrative role for 60 days as interim chief executive officer, received a memo from Schott informing him he will not keep the job for the two years left in her enforced absence.

TWINS: After giving up the winning home run to Cleveland's Alvaro Espinoza, P Dave Stevens punched a wall in the locker room and needed six stitches in his right hand.

WHITE SOX: C Chad Kreuter, whose left shoulder was dislocated in a collision at the plate Friday, returned home to Los Angeles for surgery. Kreuter is out for the season, and C Robert Machado was called up from Double-A Birmingham.

YANKEES: Reliever Mariano Rivera has retired 30 of the 31 first batters he has faced this season.