PHILLIES CAUSING RADIO WAVES WITH CONTRACT SET TO EXPIRE

     Phillies Manager Jim Fregosi ended his unofficial boycott of
on WIP-AM in Philadelphia, raising questions on whether the
station will compete for Phillies radio with current rights-
holder WGMP-AM, according to Mike Bruton of the PHILADELPHIA
INQUIRER.  WGMP-AM has two years left on it contract and "now
wants to extend the $3 million agreement and pay the Phillies
less money."  Fregosi has a show on WGMP for which he is paid by
the station, and if the team's rights were to move, Fregosi's
"show would almost certainly go along."  But with Phillies Owner
Bill Giles "crying the budget blues," Bruton writes WIP would be
the Phillies' "next logical radio home" if talks with WGMP "break
down." Fergosi said his call "had nothing to do with"
negotiations, and WGMP's new GM Ron Shapiro had no comment on the
appearance, only saying, "You be the judge."  WIP GM Cecil Foster
said when the Phillies contract expires, "we'd be very interested
in talking to them" (PHILA. INQUIRER, 2/13).