Oakland outfielder Jose Canseco said Saturday racism was not the reason the Athletics failed to offer him a big multi-year contract, and that his earlier remarks had been misunderstood.
"My comments were made about society in general," Canseco said. "I never accused the A's of racism. I never said that."Canseco spoke to reporters Friday about how racism may have played a role in the recent contracts signed by Will Clark and Kevin Mitchell of the San Francisco Giants.
"To me, Will Clark can't do anything wrong. He represents baseball, America and you know the rest," Canseco said on Friday. "Mitchell is black and I'm Latin. So we don't (represent America). That definitely has something to do with it."
Canseco signed a $2 million, one-year contract for 1990 in February, two days before his scheduled arbitration hearing. Mitchell signed another one-year deal for just over $2 million. The Giants gave Clark, who, like Canseco, was two years away from free agency, a four-year, $15-million deal.
When questioned Saturday, Canseco said his comments were taken out of context.
"This seems to happen to me every time I give my opinion on anything, especially if it's a touchy subject," Canseco. "But I feel I'm a superstar and that people want to know my thoughts about certain topics.
"Some reporters were asking me about topics I had discussed previously on how the A's planned to use my off-field incidents to make their case in arbitration. That's how it all started. I don't want anything to be blown out of proportion, but it always happens."
Canseco said he met with Oakland general manager Sandy Alderson before the game on Saturday to set the record straight. He waved at Alderson and the two exchanged smiles while Canseco talked to reporters in the clubhouse.
"I spoke with Sandy, told him what I said, and we understand each other," Canseco said.
Prior to the contract settlement, Alderson had said that Canseco's string of off-field encounters with the law should be viewed as strikes against the outfielder. Canseco and the A's reached an agreement, but he was bitter about Alderson's statement.
Alderson said he would no longer comment about Canseco's remarks, but manager Tony La Russa said Canseco is not in his doghouse.
"I think overall he was wrong in what he said," said La Russa, "but I think some things he's concerned about, I happen to agree with. But what he's concerned about has nothing to do with the A's."
Clark declined comment, and Mitchell, whose current one-year contract of $2 million represented a raise of $1.42 million, was cautious.
"I ain't in the right shoes to be talking about it. I don't know what's going on," he said Friday night in San Diego, where the Giants played the Padres.
In 1988, Canseco became the first player in history to hit 40 homers and steal 40 bases. Last year, he hit .269 with 17 home runs and 57 RBIs after missing the first half of the year with a broken hand but still made headlines, primarily because of his behavior off the field, including tickets for speeding.
Oakland pitcher Dave Stewart, who is black, had contested Canseco's remarks. Stewart said race has nothing to do with the way the Athletics treats their players.
"There's not truth to that. I'm a minority, too, and if there's racism for him there's racism for me, too," said Stewart, who in January agreed to a two-year, $7 million contract extension that briefly made him baseball's highest-paid player.
Stewart also suggested that Will Clark's skill and attitude played agreater role in the Giant's recent large contract.
Canseco had said he may leave the A's when he becomes eligible for free agency after the 1991 season.