Padres Ready Payoff Pitch to Ace Davis : Numbers game: Whatever the price of signing the team's top relief pitcher, the cost will be considerably higher than what it took to retain shortstop Garry Templeton. - Los Angeles Times
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Padres Ready Payoff Pitch to Ace Davis : Numbers game: Whatever the price of signing the team’s top relief pitcher, the cost will be considerably higher than what it took to retain shortstop Garry Templeton.

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

There was plenty to keep Mark Davis busy Tuesday at his Scottsdale, Ariz. home, with nine holes of golf in the early afternoon, and a dinner with his wife celebrating their eighth wedding anniversary in the evening.

It was a thorough day of entertainment, particularly considering that teammate Dave Leiper paid for the anniversary dinner. Leiper had the misfortune of betting Davis that their former teammate, Kevin Mitchell, would not hit 40 home runs this year for the San Francisco Giants.

Well, Mitchell had 40 before the month of September, leaving Leiper two months to pay off his bet.

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Now, with the World Series resuming Friday in San Francisco, the Padres’ time to pay off quickly is approaching. Davis is eligible to file for free agency the day after the final game of the World Series, and after a mandatory 15-day wait, is free to negotiate and sign with any club.

“I really don’t know what’s going on,” said Davis, who set a Padre record with 44 saves this past season. “I haven’t heard from my agent in a couple of days, and I’m not even sure he’s talked to them lately. Basically, I guess we’re just waiting for things to take their course.”

Alan Hendricks, Davis’ agent said, “We talk some days, and then there’ll be times we don’t talk for a week. But we’re not going to have press conferences and keep a running scorecard on how negotiations are going. I think it’ll quicken once the World Series ends.”

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Although no exchange of figures has been made public, sources say that Hendricks has asked the Padres for a three-year guaranteed contract in excess of $7 million. Davis earned $1.12 million during his two-year contract negotiated with the Padres in February, 1988.

Whatever the price, the cost of signing Davis certainly will be much more exorbitant than retaining shortstop Garry Templeton, who was signed Monday to a two-year guaranteed contract.

Templeton, according to sources, received a $100,000 signing bonus and will be paid a base salary of $500,000 in 1990 and $485,000 in 1991. Templeton’s base salary in 1991, however, will be increased to $500,000 if he plays in 100 games during the 1990 season.

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Templeton also has incentives in each year of his contract that will pay him $25,000 if he plays in 100 games; $25,000 for playing in 120 games; $25,000 for playing in 130 games; and $25,000 for playing in 140 games.

There also are award bonuses that will pay him $100,000 for being selected as the MVP of the National League, and $50,000 for placing in the top five of the balloting; $50,000 for the World Series MVP award; $50,000 for the League Championship Series MVP award; and $25,000 for being selected to the All-Star team.

* In other news, the Padres announced Tuesday that their entire coaching staff is under contract for the 1990 season. Hitting coach Amos Otis, third-base coach Sandy Alomar, first-base coach Greg Riddoch, and bullpen coach Denny Sommers each were signed to one-year contracts. Pitching coach Pat Dobson already was under contract, which will expire at the end of the 1990 season.

The Padres also announced that their radio and TV announcing teams will remain intact for the 1990 season: Jerry Coleman, Rick Monday, Ted Leitner and Bob Chandler.

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