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Baseball briefs

Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published December 21, 2000

Cancer claims Mantle's oldest son

DALLAS -- Five years after the disease killed his father, Mickey Mantle Jr. died Wednesday of complications from cancer. He was 47.

Mantle had been in and out of R.H. Dedman Memorial Hospital since August for treatment, said Dorothy M. Weber, a New York City attorney who represents the family in trademark and licensing.

Mantle Jr. was a switch-hitting centerfielder like his Hall of Fame father but never made it to the majors. He spent several years in the minors for the Yankees and Rangers.

Like his father and brothers, he also became an alcoholic. The family shared its battle with the addiction in the book A Hero All His Life.

The oldest of four sons, he was the second to get cancer. Billy, the youngest, had Hodgkin's disease, a lymphatic cancer, before dying of a heart attack in 1994 at age 36.

Mickey Mantle died of liver cancer in 1995 at 63 after receiving a liver transplant. The Yankees great's father, grandfather and uncle died of Hodgkin's disease when they were in their early 40s.

SALARIES SOAR: The average salary rose 171/2 percent to $1,895,630, according to the annual survey released by the Major League Baseball Players Association.

The Yankees had the highest average salary for the second straight year and the sixth time in seven seasons. A year after becoming the first team to break the $3-million barrier, New York averaged $3,656,542, up from $3,215,660.

Three other teams topped $3-million: Los Angeles ($3,141,883), Atlanta ($3,127,992) and the NL-champion Mets ($3,115,549).

Minnesota had the lowest average, $601,680.

The Devil Rays were one of four teams among the top 15 payrolls with a losing record, along with the Tigers, Orioles and Cubs.

BUSH TO STUDY PROPOSAL: Gov. Jeb Bush has not taken a stance on the Marlins' latest stadium proposal but only because he wants to know more before deciding whether state money should be used for the facility.

Bush rejected the team's previous financing plan, which was structured around a cruise ship tax. He could do the same to a proposal for a $385-million stadium in downtown Miami funded by public and private money.

The plan was approved last week by Miami-Dade County Mayor Alex Penelas and Miami Mayor Joe Carollo.

BORDICK BACK IN BALTIMORE: The Orioles welcomed a familiar face, agreeing to a two-year contract with free-agent shortstop Mike Bordick.

Bordick spent 31/2 seasons with Baltimore before being traded to the Mets in July. A sure-handed fielder, he last year added a power stroke that earned him his first trip to the All-Star Game.

ASTROS: Right-handed pitcher Shane Reynolds, who made the National League All-Star team for the first time last season, is likely to miss the first month of the 2001 season after injuring his left knee while jogging. Reynolds had an operation to repair a torn lateral meniscus.

CARDINALS: Eduardo Perez, the first baseman who helped fill the void during Mark McGwire's long injury absence last season, will play in Japan next year. St. Louis sold his contract to the Hanshin Tigers of the Central League

RANGERS: General manager Doug Melvin met for 31/2 hours with free agent right-hander David Cone. Melvin planned to talk with his agent in the next few days but said no offers have been made.

YANKEES: Leftfielder David Justice is scheduled for hernia surgery next month and is expected to be ready for spring training.

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