NEW YORK -- The Montreal Expos signed National League batting champion Tim Raines to a three-year contract early today and said the free agent outfielder would join the club tonight in New York.
The Expos began negotiations to re-sign Raines at 12:01 a.m. EDT - one minute after clubs could legally resume talks with their former players, free agents who had been unsuccessful in finding employment with other clubs since January.
The Expos came to terms with Raines about 3 a.m. EDT in Sarasota, Fla., Expos spokesman Rich Griffin said from New York.
Bill Stoneman, the Expos' vice president for baseball administration, and John McHale, Montreal chief executive officer, met in the post-midnight negotiating session with Bill Landman, an associate of Raines' agent, Tom Reich. Griffin said Raines approved the contract early this morning.
'I'm not sure of the (financial) details (of the contract),' Griffin said. 'They're all coming in tonight. We'll know more then.'
The Expos' last offer to Raines before the Jan. 8 cutoff of negotiations between clubs and their free agents was a three-year, $4.8 million contract.
Griffin said Raines would fly to New York where the Expos are playing the Mets. He will meet with Expos Manager Buck Rodgers and could be in the lineup tomorrow.
'Buck Rodgers has to talk with him,' Griffin said. 'He'll take a look at him, see what kind of shape he's in and determine if he can play.'
Raines, who batted .334 with 70 stolen bases in 1986, has been working out on his own and claims to be in good shape. Griffin said Raines has been working out at Palmetto High School in Sarasota the last three weeks. Before that, he had been practicing in Sanford, Fla.
Midnight marked the first legal opportunity since Jan. 8 for clubs to recapture any players unsuccessful on the open market. The rules of free-agent negotiations are determined by the players' collective bargaining agreement with the leagues.
Other promiment free agents who are eligible to sign with their former clubs include catchers Rich Gedman (Boston) and Bob Boone (California) and pitchers Ron Guidry (Yankees) and Doyle Alexander (Atlanta).
Raines' signing still symbolizes the labor problems in baseball. The Players' Association contends team owners colluded to restrict jobs and salaries for the free agents. The owners argue they were exercising 'independent fiscal responsibility.'
Boone apparently will return to the California Angels soon after he becomes eligible. He reportedly will be offered the same contract he turned down in January, a one-year deal worth approximately $800,000.
Gedman appears to have a fairly strong bargaining position, even though he turned down two offers during the offseason. The Red Sox are fighting to avoid last place in the AL East without Gedman, who played in last year's All-Star Game. Gedman rejected Boston's three-year contract for $2.65 million. He requested a three-year deal worth $3.75 million.
Guidry, who generated mild interest from the Baltimore Orioles, announced weeks ago he would abandon his effort to find a new team and would instead return to the New York Yankees at the earliest possible date.
Yankees General Manager Woody Woodward scheduled a Friday morning meeting with Guidry's agent, Reggie Ringuet, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Guidry, 36, went 9-12 with a 3.98 ERA last season. An effective Guidry would boost the Yankees, who received good starting pitching while winning 14 of their first 21 games. Guidry requested $1.70 million over two years, turning down the club's offer of $1.65 million.
The Braves said Alexander would meet Friday morning in Atlanta with General Manager Bobby Cox. Alexander was asking $1.3 million for one year. The club offered $900,000.
Of the other premier free agents who did not return to their former clubs, infielder Bob Horner elected to play in Japan, catcher Lance Parrish has signed with Philadelphia and outfielder Andre Dawson with the Chicago Cubs.
