Twenty-two players agreed to contracts worth a total of $64 million in base salaries Thursday.
Cleveland, which already has sold out all seats for home games next season, agreed to a $10 million, four-year contract with outfielder Manny Ramirez. The Indians signed first baseman Julio Franco for $5 million over two years, gave designated hitter Eddie Murray $2 million for 1996 and gave pitcher Orel Hershiser a $2.7 million extension for 1997. They also agreed to a $400,000 minor-league contract with infielder Alvaro Espinoza.
"Of all the clubs in baseball at this time, we feel we are extremely fortunate to have such stability and continuity in our team," Cleveland general manager John Hart said. "Last year was very special and we want to continue that."
Canseco and the Red Sox barely met the deadline. Canseco, who finished a $23.5 million, five-year deal, gets $4.5 million in each of the next two seasons. Boston has an option for 1998 at his 1997 earnings.
Meanwhile, 17 free agents were offered salary arbitration by their former teams as the midnight deadline approached: California pitcher Jim Abbott, Toronto second baseman Roberto Alomar, Houston second baseman Craig Biggio, Florida outfielder Andre Dawson, Angels pitcher Chuck Finley, California outfielder Dave Gallagher, Cincinnati outfielder Ron Gant and Boston pitcher Eric Hanson.
Also, St. Louis reliever Tom Henke, New York Yankees pitcher Rick Honeycutt, Toronto pitcher Al Leiter, Yankees first baseman Don Mattingly, Kansas City pitcher Jeff Montgomery, Chicago Cubs pitcher Jaime Navarro, San Diego second baseman Jody Reed, Texas pitcher Kenny Rogers and Atlanta outfielder Dwight Smith.
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