SAN DIEGO -- Jerry Kapstein, agent for free agent first baseman Steve Garvey, said his client had received two new proposals Friday from the teams that are still in the bidding for his services.
'One proposal had some improvement of a minor change but the other one had some very significant changes,' Kapstein said from his office.
The Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants are still in hot pursuit of Garvey, and although Kapstein refused to say when Garvey would make his final decision, it was expected an announcement would come within 24 hours.
Although Kapstein would not name the teams that had changed their proposals, the Cubs admitted earlier Friday that they were the team that offered 'minor' changes to their original proposal.
'We just made a modest change in our original proposal. We did it more or less as a gesture of good faith,' said Cubs' owner Andrew McKenna from his office in Chicago.
It was believed that the Padres was the team that made a significant change in its proposal. Kapstein met earlier Friday with San Diego president Ballard Smith hear the Padres' counter-offer to Garvey's 'final' proposal in which he reportedly asked $8.8 million for a five-year contract.
Kapstein also spoke to Giants' owner Bob Lurie Friday.
'We feel we have as good a chance to sign him as anybody,' said the Giants' Lurie, squelching reports the Giants were still involved only for the publicity.
Smith said the primary thing working against the Giants is cold, windy Candlestick Park, reasoning that playing conditions have to be important to a 34-year-old seeking a five-year contract. 'I still think patience is going to pay off for us in the end,' Smith said.
On Thursday, Garvey presented his proposition to the three clubs still bidding for him but none met his demands.
'We've had detailed discussions with all three teams, but no team has accepted our proposal in full,' Kapstein said Thursday night in Los Angeles. 'As of now, we will stay in round-the-clock contact with all of the clubs.'
Garvey's $8.8 million demand was about $3 million more than any of the three offers, the San Diego Tribune reported Friday, saying Garvey had offers from each club in the $5 to $6 million range.
