Hershiser joins Mets

RONALD BLUM

Thursday, March 25, 1999 | 12:52 p.m.

The New York Mets won the bidding war for Orel Hershiser, agreeing today to a $2 million, one-year contract.

Hershiser, a 40-year-old right-hander who went to spring training with Cleveland, also was sought by the Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves, Florida Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies.

"I think all of the contenders had a chance, but the other criteria came into play," Hershiser said today during a news conference in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

"I knew the chance to win and to win in New York - people say the greatest city in the world - was an opportunity that I wanted to have," he said. "I enjoy the pressure, I enjoy the spotlight and I enjoy the competition. I don't want to go off to some city where it's ho-hum, let's go watch the game, I want go some place where we're going to get after it and that's what New York is all about."

The agreement came one day after the Mets sent pitcher Hideo Nomo outright to the minors. If Nomo doesn't report to Triple-A Norfolk, the team would save Nomo's entire $2,925,000 salary. If he does report, the Mets will probably place Nomo on unconditional release waivers next Wednesday and give him only 45 days' termination pay, $719,262.

Mets manager Bobby Valentine appeared to be upset at the demotion, saying Wednesday he had told his players not to worry about their performance in the spring.

"Things have changed, I guess," Valentine said. "It's regretful. I said it wasn't a tryout camp and that they should work on things they needed to work on."

Today, Valentine softened his tone but clearly remained upset.

"I'm ecstatic," he said. "As down as I was yesterday over losing a player that I had a lot of sweat equity in and a guy I was pulling for to do well, I'm even higher that than today knowing one of the greatest competitors and one of the best pitchers I've ever seen is lined up on our team."

Hershiser would have gotten only a $400,000, one-year contract if he had made Cleveland's opening day roster. Indians manager Mike Hargrove decided there was no room for him in his team's rotation but was willing to keep him as a reliever.

"I think Orel had a sentimental desire to be here, and we wanted him to be here," Indians assistant general manager Mark Shapiro said. "Unfortunately, we just didn't have a starting spot for him."

In three spring appearances, Hershiser was 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA. He allowed three runs and 10 hits in 10 innings, striking out four and walking three.

Last year with San Francisco, Hershiser was 11-10, with a 4.41 ERA in 34 games covering 202 innings.

Hershiser, who has the chance to earn $500,000 in performance bonuses with the Mets, has a career record of 190-133, and he admits he'd like to win at least 10 more to reach 200 and possibly improve his chances of being elected to the Hall of Fame.

A three-time All-Star, Hershiser won the 1988 NL Cy Young Award with the Los Angeles Dodgers after going 23-8 and setting a major league record with 59 consecutive scoreless innings. He also was MVP of the NL championship series and the World Series, going 3-0 in the postseason.

Nomo, the 1995 NL Rookie of the Year while playing for the Dodgers, was liked by Mets manager Bobby Valentine, but general manager Steve Phillips made the decision to cut him.

"It's a difficult decision because it involves a player of his stature and given what he's done in his career," Phillips said. "But I've got to make a judgment in what I can do to have us win as many games as we can, and this starts the process."

Nomo joined the Dodgers in 1995 and won 45 games in Los Angeles, but struggled last season and was traded to the Mets in June. He went 4-5 with a 4.82 ERA in 17 games with New York and was ineffective this spring, going 0-2 with a 7.62 ERA in four appearances.