5 Free-Agent Pitchers Join New Teams

With David Cone’s future decided, five other free-agent pitchers picked their new baseball teams Friday.

Kevin Brown got the biggest deal, a $12.9 million, three-year contract with the Florida Marlins. Next was Ken Hill, who agreed to a $8.15 million, two-year deal with the Texas Rangers. Texas also agreed to a $2 million, one-year contract with reliever Mike Henneman.

Erik Hanson and the Toronto Blue Jays agreed to a three-year contract worth $9.5 million. And Jamie Moyer and the Boston Red Sox agreed to a one-year contract worth at least $600,000.

Andy Benes, who finished 1995 with Seattle after a trade from San Diego, and St. Louis were said to be close to a two-year contract for $8 million.

Among non-pitchers, third baseman Todd Zeile and the Philadelphia Phillies agreed to a $2.5 million, oneyear contract. Infielder Craig Grebeck and the Marlins agreed on a minor-league contract that will pay him $400,000 if he makes the big-league club.

Brown, 30, spent nine seasons in the Rangers organization before signing with Baltimore last spring. He was 10-9 with a 3.60 ERA for the Orioles and made $4,225,000. His deal with the Marlins pays him $3.6 million next season, $4.5 million in 1997 and $4.8 million in 1998.

Hanson, 30, was 15-5 last season with a 4.24 ERA. He spent the first six years of his major-league career with Seattle and Cincinnati before moving to Boston for the 1995 season.

Zeile, 30, became a free agent Thursday when the Chicago Cubs failed to offer a 1996 contract. He hit .246 this year with 14 homers and 52 RBIs.

Cardinals sold; team to stay in St. Louis

Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. agreed to sell the St. Louis Cardinals to a group of investors, led by lawyer Fred Hanser, for $150 million, which would be the second-high price paid for a baseball team. The deal must still be approved by the baseball owners. The team will stay in St. Louis.

Pirates sale moving along

Pittsburgh Pirates buyer Kevin McClatchy met the current owners’ final demand by producing a letter confirming he had met major-league baseball’s equity guidelines.

McClatchy and the Pirates last month reached agreement on the $85 million purchase last month, contingent upon the California businessman raising the estimated $60 million in capital required for the deal. At the time, McClatchy had raised all but an estimated $3 million.

McClatchy was given until Friday to raise the extra capital, which was needed to meet baseball’s 2-to-1 equity-to-debt ratio.