Juan That Got Away

[bernieh]

[i:5f0691e6a8]originally printed: The Sporting News, February 10, 1986[/i:5f0691e6a8]

BALTIMORE—Juan Beniquez, who had rejected better offers from the California Angels, became the first of baseball's 1985 crop of free agents to move to another team when the outfielder-first baseman signed with the Baltimore Orioles.

Beniquez led the Angels with a .304 average in 1985 and he hit .315 for the last three years of his five years with the club. But the 35-year-old veteran felt unappreciated by the Angels, who refused to give him a guaranteed contract.

The Orioles balked at a two-year contract for Beniquez, but that apparently had little bearing on agent Ray Negron's negotiations with the Baltimore club. "Juan feels a guy really has to fall on his face not to get re-signed," said Negron. "We're satisfied with the dollars. We feel we got a decent raise."

According to published reports in Baltimore, Beniquez agreed to a deal that will pay him $450,000 in 1986. Reports in California said that he would receive $400,000 from the Orioles this year, an increase of $35,000 over his 1985 salary, and that the Orioles also have an option on his services for 1987 at the same rate. However, the Orioles can buy out that 1987 option for $50,000.

Back in August, the Angels had offered Beniquez a one-year guarantee for $525,000 in 1986, plus 1987 and '88 options for $575,000. On the eve of the December 8 deadline for retaining negotiating rights to players who'd declared themselves free agents, the Angels even threw in $150,000 worth of performance bonuses.

Mike Port, the Angels' general manager, refused to accept any blame for losing Beniquez, who was valuable to the Angels because of his versatility and because he is a righthanded batter, lending some balance to the California lineup.

Recalling that Beniquez had shed tears when contract talks with the Angels collapsed, Port intimated that Beniquez perhaps should have shed his agent instead.

When Negron learned of that remark, the agent from Everett, Wash., disputed Port's version of the Beniquez negotiations.

"It's all a lie," said Negron. "They never made a guaranteed offer. A guy like Juan, who never has a good spring, couldn't afford having to try out in camp. He didn't care about incentives. He just wanted some security."

So Beniquez paid dearly for gambling on what has been a depressed market for free agents. Because Beniquez was designated as a Type A free agent, the Angels will be compensated with Baltimore's No. 1 choice in the June free-agent draft, plus a bonus pick between the first two regular rounds in the draft.

The addition of Beniquez filled the one offensive slot that had worried Orioles Manager Earl Weaver. "We needed a righthanded hitter to replace Gary Roenicke (who was traded to the New York Yankees)," said Weaver.

Beniquez figures to be primarily a righthanded pinch-hitter and occasional designated hitter for the Orioles. He joins John Shelby and Jim Dwyer as backups for Baltimore's regular outfield of Fred Lynn, Mike Young and Lee Lacy.

After Beniquez agreed to terms, he gave Reggie Jackson credit for steering him to the Orioles. Jackson. a California teammate of Beniquez the last four years, spent the 1976 season in Baltimore after being traded from the Oakland A's. Then, after spending five tumultuous years with the Yankees, Jackson was involved in serious negotiations with the Orioles before signing as a free agent with the Angels in 1982.

"Reggie was a mayor influence," Negron said. "He had nothing but praise for the Baltimore organization, the whole atmosphere. His opinion had a lot to do with it."

Beniquez first appeared in the major leagues in 1971 with the Boston Red Sox. He also has been with the Yankees, the Seattle Manners and the Texas Rangers.