Evening star., 1950-01-06
Il IndiansGet
Pay Cuts as 50
ContractsGo0ul
Hieh-Brocket Players
Facing Reductions,
New Owner Indicates

Facing Reductions,
/ New Owner Indicates
BY the Assoeioisd Press
CLEVELAND, Jan. 6.-The
Cleveland Indians, once possibly
the highest paid team in baseball,
could start checking the postman
today for their 1850 contracts.
The pay offers are in the mail,
and the official word from Ellis
Ryan, new owner, is this: Out of
a roster of 80 players. II got a
salary cut; % were offered a raise
and 5 received the same money.
Ryan conceded straight off he
won't be doing out the kind of
Cash Bill Veeck did last season.
But the Indians were 1948 world
champions then. For 1949, sports
editors in an Associated Press
poll voted them the biggest sports
flop in the Nation. They finished
third in the American League race
last year.
Discussing the contracts, Ryan
said: Actually, believe, we will
still pay out more to our players
than any other club. Before COM
pleting the deal for the Indians
Qast November), I had heard
widespread rumors that the players
would face a wholesale reduction
from what was probably the larg-
est payroll in baseball.
No Wholesale Reduction.
I'm happy to say that this is
not the case"
Hank Greenberg, the Tribes
new general manager, said he
wasn't worried either about the
reception the contracts will re-
ceive.
II suppose we1l probably have a
couple Of holdouts," conceded
Hank. Every club does. But I
think we'll wind up with a well
pleased crew and a capable outfit
on the field.
II think we can win the pen
nant this year, so both Ellis and
I agreed that the best way to
assure good start in that direc-
ton was to open spring training
with a squad Of happy athletes"
Nobody said so, but 1t was a
fairly safe guess that the II
players due for cuts include every
one making $4,000 or more, ex-
cepting Lou Boudreau. shortstop-
manager.
Lou doesn't have to argue. He
has another year to run on a
two-year contract calling for
around $65,000, even though his
batting average slumped from
.355 to .284.
But on the basis Of past per-
formance, these other high
bracket men could look for some
sort Of decrease Qast years sal
aries roughly estimated in paren-
theses and by no means oficial) !:
Pitcher Bob Feller ($70, ,000);
Second Baseman Joe Gordon
100000; Pitcher Satchel Paige
($25, ,000); Third Baseman Ken
ny Keltner ($25, 5,000); Pitcher
Gene Bearden ($2o,000.
Expensive Coaches Out.
Along the same lines, the In
dians last month dropped Coaches
Bill McKechnie ($40,000) and
Steve O'Neill ($25 ,000). Ryan and
Boudreau were talking in Chicago
today about a single replacement
for them. possibly Oscar Melillo.
Oscar managed the Tribes farm
team at Dayton last year. He him
self may attend today's confer
ence.
Due for practically certain in
creases were Pitchers Bob Lemon,
Mike Garcia and AL Benton. They
led the Tribe to the top of the
list in American League pitching
last season. Third Baseman-Ou
fielder Bob Kennedy could count
on raise, too.
The Lemon affair poses a nice
problem for the Indians. He had
la fine record Of % victories and
10 losses in 1949, while his pitch
ing mate, Feller. stumbled through
with is wins and IA defeats.
Yet Lemon probably wasn't
earning $4,000, and good sources
say he won't be offered more than
$4,000 or. at best, $35, zoo this
year. These same people insist
that Feller, though he'll get less
than last years $4,000, still will
be well above Lemon cashwise.