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I found this on lexisnexis today...so no link is really available
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The Toronto Star
November 14, 1998, Saturday, Edition 1
DISGRUNTLED
CLEMENS AIRS
VIEWS ON JAYS
BYLINE: Geoff Baker
and Allan Ryan
SECTION: SPORTS
LENGTH: 680 words
Clemens
Clemens fumes over Jay 'confusion'
SPORTS REPORTERS
Another Blue Jays contract lob to Jose Canseco was swatted away
yesterday as the stalemate grew more serious with the entry of
pitcher Roger Clemens into the fray.
Toronto general manager Gord Ash is said to have offered Canseco
a one-year deal for $3 million (U.S.) on the same day Clemens
expressed disappointment with the team's negotiating stance in an
interview posted on the pitcher's personal Web site.
''To know what he's been offered . . . you know, it saddens me,''
Clemens said of his friend and teammate.
''Here's a guy who I begged and pleaded to come play in Toronto,
to have a presence and help the the young players step it up -
and he signed for next to nothing, in relative terms.
''And now, to offer him what they are offering . . . I won't even
call it a joke, because it's not funny to him or me.''
Canseco's overdramatized contract woes have been regarded as
something of an amusing distraction until now. That Clemens
appears to regard the retaining of Canseco as a must is
potentially a sign the Jays won't be able to satisfy the pitcher
that the team is committed to winning.
If that's the case, the Internet musings of Clemens, who has been
mentioned in numerous trade rumours this week, could be his way
of paving a road for himself out of Toronto.
Clemens said he is disappointed with all the off-field problems
the team has experienced, including a reduced player budget and
its threat to move to Exhibition Stadium.
''I would think I'd have heard from (general manager) Gord Ash,
or someone on the team, about which way things are going with the
Blue Jays,'' he said. ''After all, this uncertainty has been
lingering for two whole years. And that's the biggest
disappointment to me.
''Who's going to own the team? What do they want to do? Are they
going to get the budget to go get some guys who will help bring
another World Series to Toronto?''
Clemens made his comments before the latest contract offer to
Canseco. But Juan Iglesias, the Miami-based agent for Canseco,
said Ash's offer changed nothing.
''He's always shuffling the numbers around, but it's always $3
million,'' Iglesias said. ''It used to be $1.5 (million
guaranteed) and $1.5 (million in incentives), then $2.25
(million) and $750,000.
''Now, it's $3 million guaranteed, one year, no incentives,'' he
said. ''And that's not going to do it.
''I mean, we understand Gord's got some budget problems and I
know you've still got to budget incentives,'' Iglesias said.
''That's probably where Gord's coming from . . . how his hands
might be tied.''
For all his protestations, Iglesias doesn't have much leverage.
The Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles, two teams cited as
possible destinations for Canseco, don't seem interested. That
means Canseco could end up playing for another one-year deal
here, a situation that likely won't thrill him or Clemens.
''I hope we can stop Jose from leaving,'' Clemens said. ''Canseco
at three years and $15 million is a bargain in today's market.''
Clemens said he'd assumed the team would lock up Canseco and ''go
get three more top-notchers that will really bolster our
lineup.''
But he now figures that general managers around baseball hope to
take advantage of a bad situation in Toronto and give up less to
the Jays in return for certain players.
''All the other teams know exactly the state the team is in, the
confusion about the larger vision for the future,'' he said.
All this has left a bad taste in the mouth of Clemens, who sounds
more and more like a player about to say goodbye.
''I hope people remember that this makes two years now that they
'don't know,' '' he said of the team's vision of what direction
it will take.
''That was not what I was told the game plan was when I made the
decision to come to Toronto over a number of other teams that
wanted me.''
-------------------------------------
--------------------------
The Toronto Star
November 14, 1998, Saturday, Edition 1
DISGRUNTLED
CLEMENS AIRS
VIEWS ON JAYS
BYLINE: Geoff Baker
and Allan Ryan
SECTION: SPORTS
LENGTH: 680 words
Clemens
Clemens fumes over Jay 'confusion'
SPORTS REPORTERS
Another Blue Jays contract lob to Jose Canseco was swatted away
yesterday as the stalemate grew more serious with the entry of
pitcher Roger Clemens into the fray.
Toronto general manager Gord Ash is said to have offered Canseco
a one-year deal for $3 million (U.S.) on the same day Clemens
expressed disappointment with the team's negotiating stance in an
interview posted on the pitcher's personal Web site.
''To know what he's been offered . . . you know, it saddens me,''
Clemens said of his friend and teammate.
''Here's a guy who I begged and pleaded to come play in Toronto,
to have a presence and help the the young players step it up -
and he signed for next to nothing, in relative terms.
''And now, to offer him what they are offering . . . I won't even
call it a joke, because it's not funny to him or me.''
Canseco's overdramatized contract woes have been regarded as
something of an amusing distraction until now. That Clemens
appears to regard the retaining of Canseco as a must is
potentially a sign the Jays won't be able to satisfy the pitcher
that the team is committed to winning.
If that's the case, the Internet musings of Clemens, who has been
mentioned in numerous trade rumours this week, could be his way
of paving a road for himself out of Toronto.
Clemens said he is disappointed with all the off-field problems
the team has experienced, including a reduced player budget and
its threat to move to Exhibition Stadium.
''I would think I'd have heard from (general manager) Gord Ash,
or someone on the team, about which way things are going with the
Blue Jays,'' he said. ''After all, this uncertainty has been
lingering for two whole years. And that's the biggest
disappointment to me.
''Who's going to own the team? What do they want to do? Are they
going to get the budget to go get some guys who will help bring
another World Series to Toronto?''
Clemens made his comments before the latest contract offer to
Canseco. But Juan Iglesias, the Miami-based agent for Canseco,
said Ash's offer changed nothing.
''He's always shuffling the numbers around, but it's always $3
million,'' Iglesias said. ''It used to be $1.5 (million
guaranteed) and $1.5 (million in incentives), then $2.25
(million) and $750,000.
''Now, it's $3 million guaranteed, one year, no incentives,'' he
said. ''And that's not going to do it.
''I mean, we understand Gord's got some budget problems and I
know you've still got to budget incentives,'' Iglesias said.
''That's probably where Gord's coming from . . . how his hands
might be tied.''
For all his protestations, Iglesias doesn't have much leverage.
The Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles, two teams cited as
possible destinations for Canseco, don't seem interested. That
means Canseco could end up playing for another one-year deal
here, a situation that likely won't thrill him or Clemens.
''I hope we can stop Jose from leaving,'' Clemens said. ''Canseco
at three years and $15 million is a bargain in today's market.''
Clemens said he'd assumed the team would lock up Canseco and ''go
get three more top-notchers that will really bolster our
lineup.''
But he now figures that general managers around baseball hope to
take advantage of a bad situation in Toronto and give up less to
the Jays in return for certain players.
''All the other teams know exactly the state the team is in, the
confusion about the larger vision for the future,'' he said.
All this has left a bad taste in the mouth of Clemens, who sounds
more and more like a player about to say goodbye.
''I hope people remember that this makes two years now that they
'don't know,' '' he said of the team's vision of what direction
it will take.
''That was not what I was told the game plan was when I made the
decision to come to Toronto over a number of other teams that
wanted me.''
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