Maddux pay hearing set Feb. 20

David O'Brien

Thursday, Jan. 30, 2003 | 9:30 a.m.

ATLANTA -- Las Vegas native Greg Maddux and the Braves still have three weeks to work out a contract before a scheduled Feb. 20 arbitration hearing. But there's been no thaw in the negotiations.

"I've talked to the Braves once. It appears we're going to a hearing on this," said Scott Boras, Maddux's agent. "(But) our ears are always open."

Braves assistant general manager Frank Wren said a hearing appears more likely than a settlement.

Barring a settlement, a three-person arbitration panel will award either the $16 million salary requested by Maddux or the $13.5 million offered by the Braves. The Feb. 20 session is the last scheduled hearing on the final day of the three-week period for arbitration hearings.

Either salary figure would shatter the previous major-league record for arbitration, the $8.25 million awarded two years ago to Braves center fielder Andruw Jones, another Boras client.

The Braves probably will argue Maddux's salary should be set in relation to the current free-agent market, noting ex-Brave Tom Glavine's three-year, $35 million contract with the Mets.

Over the past three seasons, Maddux was 52-26 with a 2.90 ERA and Glavine was 55-27 with a 3.31 ERA. Since 1998, Maddux and Glavine have identical 89-44 records in the regular season and 3-6 marks in postseason play.

Boras is expected to argue that Maddux, the winningest pitcher in the majors since 1991, should be paid accordingly, emphasizing his 15 consecutive seasons with 15 or more wins, his four Cy Young Awards, his 13 Gold Gloves, and the lucrative free-agent contracts of recent years, including Mike Hampton's eight-year, $121 million deal.