Ojeda Decides Not to Force Trade in Order to Keep Free-Agent Rights

Dodger left-hander Bob Ojeda decided Monday against filing papers that would have forced the club to trade him by March 15 because it would have resulted in a loss of his free-agent rights for five years.

“We’re not very happy about the situation, but the loss of free agency for five years was too big a price to pay,” agent Tom Selakovich said.

Under Ojeda’s rights as a player who was traded with a multiyear contract, the Dodgers would have had to honor his trade demand or he would have become an unrestricted free agent March 15.

Selakovich said last week that Ojeda would file a trade demand because of the Dodgers’ refusal to extend his contract, which expires at the end of the 1992 season. He will be paid $1.6 million in ’92 and become a free agent when the season ends.

“There’s nothing personal in this. The Dodgers have been consistent in this policy,” Selakovich said.

In addition, the Dodgers tendered arbitration offers to pitchers John Candelaria and Jim Gott, thus retaining their contracts for next season.