Hull signed a 10-year deal: five years as a player for $250,000 per season, and five more for $100,000 per season in a front-office position.

Lemaire, 52, will remain with the team in a front-office position.

The same rules apply for front-office positions.

Steinbrenner also said that some black and Hispanic former players were reluctant to take front-office positions because they could earn more money as coaches.

Yesterday, the two friends said that Gretzky was inclined not to accept a front-office position of any kind.

Henry Aaron, the game's leading career home run hitter, is the highest-level black in a front-office position.

The team would then probably offer Harper a front-office position.

There are only eight coaches on the staffs of the 26 teams and no Hispanic people in high-profile front-office positions.

They were also upset that Brown tried to negotiate a front-office position with Cleveland while the Pistons were in the middle of the playoffs.

He has also been involved in recruiting black talent for front-office positions in major league baseball.