Manning, Marshall Are Back on Board in L.A. : Free-Agent Outfielder Signs 3-Year Contract With Dodgers

The Dodgers signed free-agent outfielder Mike Marshall Friday, giving him the 3-year contract he wanted, but second baseman Steve Sax remained unsigned.

Before their self-imposed deadline of Nov. 4 for signing free agents, the Dodgers had offered each player a guaranteed $2.3 million for 2 seasons with an option for a third year that made the total packages worth $3.2 million.

Although the deadline passed and neither Marshall nor Sax accepted the offer, the Dodgers reopened negotiations Thursday.

“This deadline left us with a situation where two key players hadn’t signed,” said Fred Claire, the club’s executive vice president.

Marshall and his agent, Jerry Kapstein, who also represents Sax, reportedly were asking for a guaranteed 3 years and a total of $3.8 million.

Claire did not say how much Marshall’s contract is worth, but Marshall said the package is worth $3.5 million. He will make $1 million in 1989, $1 million in ’90 and $1.2 million in ’91. He also got a $300,000 signing bonus.

“I had every intention of staying with the Dodgers,” Marshall said. “All along I wanted to be a Dodger. I’m very happy that it all worked out.”

Apparently, the key was getting the 3 years.

Because of Marshall’s history of injuries, Claire said that giving him a 3-year contract instead of a 2-year deal “troubled me very much.”

Claire said that he and Kapstein also had discussed Sax’s situation Friday but added: “I don’t care to characterize how the negotiations are going. We did talk, and anytime you don’t totally slam the door, that leads to the opportunity for further conversation.”

He said the Marshall signing made him “no more hopeful, no less hopeful” of signing Sax. Sax reportedly is seeking $3.95 million over 3 years.

“One thing to keep in mind is that Steve is a free agent,” Claire said. “He could sign tonight or tomorrow morning with another club. There is nothing to prevent him from doing so.”

The Pittsburgh Pirates have said that they offered Sax a 3-year contract believed to be in the $3-million range. Claire said he did not know if Sax had received any other offers.

Claire also said that when the club’s deadline came and went without Marshall and Sax signing, he believed that both were gone.

Now things are looking better, and there is no deadline regarding Sax.

“I don’t know when it ends,” Claire said. “Either when he signs with us or somebody else. I could get a call (at any time).”

Marshall, the Dodgers’ cleanup hitter last season, led the team with 82 RBIs. He played in a career-high 144 games and was second on the team with 20 home runs. He hit .277 overall and .309 with runners in scoring position. In 11 postseason games, he had 9 RBIs.

Asked if winning the World Series had an effect on the Dodgers’ decision to lift the signing deadline, Claire said: “Yes, speaking honestly, that did have some impact.”