December 31, 1999 5:56 PM EST

(MINOR EDITING THROUGHOUT)

(C) 1999 SPORTSTICKER ENTERPRISES, L.P. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

JERSEY CITY, New Jersey (Ticker) -- The New York Mets are in the midst of solving one of their biggest problems.

They are working out a way to get rid of Bobby Bonilla so he cannot be the disruptive influence he threatened to be if he was not playing regularly.

Under a plan still not announced, the Mets will release Bonilla and pay off the $6 million they owe him in the final year of his contract by making a series of deferred payments over the next three or four years. The money owed Bonilla will be put in an interest-drawing escrow account.

It's good-bye and good riddance to a man who was nothing but a problem in 1999 when he hit only .160 in 119 plate appearances. He also fought twice with his manager and was a disturbing influence in the clubhouse.

Of all the good moves Steve Phillips has made in his reign as general manager, bringing Bonilla back was one bad one. Phillips was getting rid of one headache when he traded Mel Rojas to the Dodgers. But in return he got another one in Bonilla. ...

Mike Morgan may hold the obscure record of games lost for the most clubs but Jeff Juden holds a record that may never be equaled.

Believe it or not, the big righthander has pitched for seven clubs in the last five years. With the exception of the Yankees this year, not one invited back Juden for another season.

Some of Juden's acts have made him a legend in major league clubhouses. Perhaps the best description of him was by one teammate who called him "a thug." Juden has created as many disturbances in more clubhouses than any man in history. But he still can pitch and that's why he always winds up with a job.

Back in 1997, while pitching for Montreal where his teammates abhorred his behavior, Juden was 11-2 at the All-Star break. Two weeks later, the Expos traded him to the Cleveland Indians.

By 1998, he was with the Anaheim Angels. Last year he popped up in spring training with the Yankees. After a summer at Columbus, where he was 11-12, he got into two late-season games with the Yankees.

So, in the last five years, Juden has pitched for Philadelphia, San Francisco, Montreal, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Anaheim and the Yankees. And that does not include an earlier trial with Houston, the club that originally signed him. ...

The Mets made the Mike Hampton deal hoping to bridge the gap between themselves and the perennial champion Atlanta Braves. But Hampton has not had much success against Atlanta in his seven years in the majors. His record against them is 4-6, which includes a win last season in the only game he faced them.

Outfielder Derek Bell, who came over from Houston along with Hampton, had more strikeouts (129) than hits (120) last season. ...

Who were the big boppers of the 1990s? Who were the big arms?

After thorough research by Bob Rosen of the Elias Sports Bureau, baseball's keeper of records, there were few surprises as dandies of the decade.

People like Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr. and Mark McGwire are right up there or at the top in virtually every department. However, there were two surprises among these future Hall of Famers.

Although Barry Bonds scored the most runs, right behind him was Houston's Craig Biggio.

Biggio also was third in the hits department, where the leader was the other surprise -- Mark Grace of the Chicago Cubs.

In pitching there were really big surprises except in the save department, where Randy Myers, currently on San Diego's disabled list, was only four behind the decade leader despite missing the entire 1999 season.

Here are the top three in all offensive departments and in pitching:

RUNS SCORED: Barry Bonds, 1,091; Craig Biggio, 1,042; Ken Griffey Jr., 1,002.

HITS: Mark Grace, 1,754; Rafael Palmeiro, 1,747; Craig Biggio, 1,728.

HOME RUNS: Mark McGwire, 405; Ken Griffey Jr., 382; Barry Bonds, 361.

RUNS BATTED IN: Albert Belle, 1,099; Ken Griffey Jr., 1,091; Barry Bonds, 1,076.

STOLEN BASES: Otis Nixon, 478; Rickey Henderson, 473; Kenny Lofton, 433.

BATTING AVERAGE: Tony Gwynn, .344; Edgar Martinez, .322; Frank Thomas, .322.

WINS: Greg Maddux, 164; Tom Glavine, 164; Roger Clemens, 152.

ERA: Greg Maddux, 2.54; Roger Clemens, 3.02; Randy Johnson, 3.14.

STRIKEOUTS: Randy Johnson, 2,538; Roger Clemens, 2,101; David Cone, 1,928.

SAVES: John Wetteland, 295; Dennis Eckersley, 293; Randy Myers, 291.

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