Donald Gross Sr.

Donald Helsman 
Nov. 15, 1992 
Donald A. Helsman, 77, Of Allenwood, Rd 1, Died Sunday In The Evangelical 
Community Hospital, Lewisburg.

By PAUL SOKOLOSKI; Times Leader Sports Writer
 Thursday, November 19, 1992 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1C/5C QUICK WORDS: BASEBALL 





NEW YORK -- If there was one big difference between Tuesday's Major League
Baseball Expansion Draft and those in the past, it was based on dollar bills. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Baseball today, almost everything you do is based on finances," said
Whitey Herzog, who served as the general manager of the California Angels last
year. "Almost everyone you talk to brings up finances. There are some players
right now, you wonder why they're not taken. It's the amount and longevity of
their contract." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Indeed. The Florida Marlins and Colorado Rockies, baseball's two newest
teams, elected to pass up legendary New York Mets first baseman Eddie Murray,
his 18 career grand slams, his 400 career home runs and his $2 million
contract. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Both infant National League teams also said "No thanks," to Phillies
reliever Mitch Williams, one of the best closers in baseball and at over $2
million a year one of the game's highest paid. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It used to be players were picked on their ability," said Herzog, who went
through baseball's expansion drafting process as either a player, manager or
general manager for the fourth time Tuesday. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "You'd look at can they run, can they hit, can they throw?" Herzog
continued. "Today it's just not like that. Baseball really shouldn't be that
way." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "We didn't want to pay a lot of money," said Carl Bargar, the president of
the Marlins. "We're not going to commit economic suicide." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Of course, it would have been nice for the Marlins or the Rockies to suit
up someone like Williams or Murray, a couple of this era's big stars. But they
just weren't willing to take a big gamble to do it. After all, both Denver,
Col. and Miami, Fla. seemed to believe that having the sport itself for the
first time should be enough of a drawing card to attract solid attendance
figures. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Sure, you'd like to have a marquee player for the fans to see," said Ted
Simmons, the general manager of three-time defending National League East
champion Pittsburgh. "But you've got to consider the bigger picture." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Obviously, both the Rockies and Marlins didn't want to pay a big price.
That was evident during the first two selections, when Colorado made David
Nied the draft's top pick and Florida followed with Nigel Wilson -- two
players with little Major League experience. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Now, Nied could turn out to be a star in his own right, as big as he was
for the Atlanta Braves' Class AAA team in Richmond. And Wilson, who hadn't
progressed past the Class AA level in the Toronto Blue Jays farm system, is
said to have tremendous Major League potential. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But both are very inexperienced against National League talent. And neither
Colorado nor Florida followed with big impact players for the rest of the
draft, leaving some big holes to fill before their first seasons start in
April. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Between now and then, of course, both new teams will be trying to sign some
established big league veterans. At a resonable price, of course. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "They've taken some kids that I know are a couple of years away," Herzog
said. "For these people to fill up their rosters next spring, they're going to
have to sign some free agents. Lesser free agents." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "In a couple of weeks, we'll start fitting things together and filling some
holes," Florida Manager Rene Lachemann said. "But we got the people we wanted.
And it looks like the Rockies got the players they wanted."

Baseball's Newest Teams Should Be Content For Now Wallets Closely Watched During Draft