Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 28, 1990 TAG: 9006280059
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: OAKLAND, CALIF. LENGTH: Short
Salaries, escalating each time a superstar negotiates a new deal, reached new heights on Wednesday when Jose Canseco became baseball's highest-paid player. The Athletics' slugger agreed to a five-year deal worth $23.5 million, moving him ahead of the Yankees' Don Mattingly, who in April signed a five-year, $19.6 million deal.
Not even Canseco believes he's worth the money.
"I don't think it's what I'm worth," Canseco said at Wednesday's news conference. "It's what the market holds, what the organizations are willing to pay a player. The popularity I have, whether it's controversial or positive, people want to come out and see me play."
And the Athletics, shooting for a third straight trip to the World Series, are paying the price. Canseco, who will be paid $5.1 million in 1995, the final year of his new deal, also becomes baseball's first $5 million man.
Canseco, 25, will collect a $3.5 million signing bonus, $2.8 million in 1991, $3.6 million in 1992, $4.1 million in 1993 and $4.4 million in 1994.
Canseco becomes the fourth Athletics player under contract making more than $3 million a year. Pitchers Dave Stewart and Dennis Eckersley and outfielder Rickey Henderson already had reached that salary plateau.
Canseco was voted the AL's MVP in 1988, when he became the first player to better the 40-home run and 40-steal plateau in the same year. He earned $325,000 that year.
by CNB