All-Star Game Notebook : If Canseco Had His Way, He’d Play

Jose Canseco said Friday in Huntsville, Ala., that he was disappointed he won’t be playing in the All-Star game, but that was “what the Oakland A’s want.”

Canseco, who is with the Huntsville Stars for rehabilitation of an injury to his left wrist, said he had spoken to Athletics Manager Tony La Russa.

“He said I was not going to play in the All-Star game. That’s it,” said Canseco, who has finished his rehabilitation period with the Stars. “There’s nothing I can do about it. That’s what the Oakland A’s want.”

In Thursday’s game with the Athletics’ double-A team in the Southern League, Canseco went one for five, including an RBI single, as Huntsville lost to Memphis, 5-4.

Canseco will return to California Saturday, according to a news release issued by the Stars.

In the release, Canseco thanked the “fans around the country, especially all the Oakland Athletics fans who voted for me in the major league All-Star balloting,” adding: “Unfortunately, I will be unable to play.”

Thirty-three players earned $847,500 in bonuses for making the American and National League All-Star teams, led by five players who picked up $50,000 each.

The Houston Astros’ Mike Scott, one of 19 players who got $25,000, also had his base salary for each of the next two years automatically increased from $1.95 million to $1.975 million. He is 14-4 in 18 starts covering 136 2/3 innings. If he reaches 32 starts or 205 innings, his base salary for 1990 and 1991 would increase to $2.125 million a year.

Wade Boggs and Mike Greenwell of the Boston Red Sox, John Franco of the Cincinnati Reds, Rick Reuschel of the San Francisco Giants and Nolan Ryan of the Texas Rangers earned $50,000 apiece.

American Leaguers earning $25,000 each were outfielders Devon White of the Angels, Harold Baines of the Chicago White Sox, Bo Jackson of the Kansas City Royals, Kirby Puckett of the Minnesota Twins and Jeffrey Leonard of the Seattle Mariners; pitchers Dan Plesac of the Milwaukee Brewers and Mike Moore and Dave Stewart of the A’s; catcher Terry Steinbach of the A’s; second baseman Julio Franco of the Rangers, and third basemen Gary Gaetti of the Twins and Kelly Gruber of the Blue Jays.

National Leaguers earning $25,000 each were catcher Benito Santiago and outfielder Tony Gwynn of the San Diego Padres; shortstop Barry Larkin of the Reds, and outfielders Darryl Strawberry of the New York Mets, Kevin Mitchell of the Giants and Von Hayes of the Philadelphia Phillies.

First baseman Mark McGwire of the A’s made $20,000, while five players got $15,000 each--catcher Tony Pena and first baseman Pedro Guerrero of the Cardinals; third basemen Bobby Bonilla of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Tim Wallach of the Montreal Expos, and pitcher Mitch Williams of the Chicago Cubs.

Catcher Mickey Tettleton of the Orioles and second baseman Ryne Sandberg of the Cubs made $10,000 apiece, and outfielder Ruben Sierra of the Rangers got $7,500.

The Reds’ Eric Davis may miss out on a $55,000 All-Star bonus because of an apparent misunderstanding in contract negotiations.

Davis was to get the bonus if “elected” to the All-Star team, a Cincinnati source said. But Davis and his agent, Eric Goldschmidt, contend the money was to be paid for “selection” to the squad.

Davis finished fourth in fan balloting for NL outfielders, falling 166,830 votes behind Gwynn for election to the final starting spot. Davis was selected as a reserve.

Goldschmidt said he negotiated the bonus clause with club owner Marge Schott. She helped end a salary arbitration dispute this spring when Davis asked for $1.65 million and the Reds offered $1.15 million. The two sides settled on $1.35 million with bonus provisions.