Monday, February 24, 2014
Negotiations update: No boycott in works
Negotiations update: No boycott in works
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Word of a one-day strike -- though it was never considered a serious possibility -- surfaced several weeks ago at about the same time contemplation of a date for a work stoppage was floated.
"The rumor was addressed by the union and dismissed as totally out of hand," said second baseman Denny Hocking, the player representative for the Minnesota Twins.
Sitting out the Midsummer Classic was among several scenarios that surfaced in media speculation. Striking in mid-August, early September or during the postseason also made the rounds in what-if circles.
The MLB Players Association has not set a strike date and does not plan to have a formal airing on the subject until its executive council meets in Chicago during the All-Star break.
"I'm encouraged that no boycott or strike date has been set," said Bob DuPuy, MLB's president and chief operating officer. "Obviously, we'd like to settle all this at the bargaining table."
Labor negotiators for both sides have agreed to conduct five collective bargaining sessions next month, beginning on June 11.
At this week's meeting in New York on Tuesday, the two sides discussed issues of secondary importance.
"Things have to be considered in view of how the negotiations are going," said Yankees relief pitcher and player representative Mike Stanton. "There have been no negotiations at all on anything that I would consider substantial."
The owners asked for a reinstatement of the luxury tax and a greater than 100 percent increase in revenue sharing in their initial proposal. The players countered by seeking a 25 percent increase in revenue sharing with no luxury tax.
The players say they are awaiting a serious breakdown in negotiations before taking the step toward a work stoppage.
"Up to now, there have been no meaningful discussions about a strike date of any kind," said Colorado player representative and third baseman Todd Zeile. "But the fact remains that there are dates that have to be considered if a worst-case scenario presents itself."
The All-Star Game has never been canceled because of a work stoppage.
In 1981, when the players struck in June over free agency and each team missed about 55 games, the All-Star Game in Cleveland was postponed. But after the strike was settled, the second half of the season began with the rescheduled All-Star Game at Municipal Stadium.
In 1994, the All-Star Game in Pittsburgh was played before the players went on strike about a month later.
Boycotting the All-Star Game would anger management and take a valuable experience away from the fans, who cast ballots for the starting position players, said pitcher Blake Stein, the assistant player representative for the Kansas City Royals.
"We don't want to take anything away from the fans," he said. "Our goal is to give them the All-Star Game and the entire season."
Owners have pledged to play this season and postseason in full, as Commissioner Bud Selig announced during Spring Training, assuring management would not risk the interruption of play in 2002 through a lockout or an impasse-forced implementation of rules.
Urban Legends: Killing time Big-league bullpens are fertile ground for frivolity
Urban Legends: Killing time
Big-league bullpens are fertile ground for frivolity
MLB.com |
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Travel tip: If you happen to find yourself seated next to a big-league relief pitcher on a cross-country flight, request to be moved. Immediately. Even if it means sitting in a middle seat between that house of a man from Blues Traveler -- pre-stomach-staples -- and crying two-year-old triplets.
Why? Because you have just entered the Time-Killing Zone, and unless you are a fellow reliever, the next five or six hours will be as unsettling as finding yourself glued to the tube watching "Celebrity Boxing." It's entertaining for a while, but then it just starts getting sloppy.
Kind of like a Van Halen concert back when the boys were still boozing. Or most Devil Rays games.
The boys of big-league bullpens, you see, can while away the hours like nobody else in the world, and rarely is it pretty for those in the vicinity. Flying spit, shoe fires and anatomically targeted commentary are not uncommon.
"We've really got it down to a science," says Rich Rodriguez, a well-traveled lefty now with the Rangers. "I've been in the bullpen all my career. This is what I do for a living."
Rodriguez is not talking about backdoor sliders or filthy fastballs here. He's talking about getting something out of nothing, which is basically what relief pitchers do for the first several innings of every ballgame, 162 times a year. They take a large chunk of downtime and turn it into often-uproarious fun.
"You pay attention to the game, but relievers aren't really into it until about the fifth inning," says Seattle's Jeff Nelson. "That's the magical number because the starters are usually getting close to their pitch-count limits."
Let's give the starters six innings. Then let's take into account the average length of a game these days, assuming it's neither a Maddux-vs.-Schilling quickie or the five-hour affair that's become every game in Arlington. That gives the relief pitchers about 2 1/2 hours to kill. And killing of any kind is a nasty business.
Just ask Norm Charlton, one of the original Nasty Boys. You remember them, right? They were the sick puppies who populated Cincinnati's 'pen way back when George Hamilton was relevant.
How sick? Well, here's Norm on one of his favorite exchanges with one of the paying customers:
"Probably the funniest thing that happened was this guy was ragging all over me in San Diego," Charlton recalls. "I was ragging back with him and he was good. ... He had some intelligence and knew about my stats.
"We were going back and forth and the fans sitting in that area were really getting into it. He'd say something and they'd clap. I'd say something and they'd clap for me. But I got the best of him. He was eating a hot dog and had about a bite left and he fired at me. It landed at my feet, I picked it up and ate it.
"He just shook his head and walked away."
A lot of bullpens put the players within earshot of the crowd, and like the bold soul who took on Charlton, some of them like to get a few words in.
"Sometimes you got some good raggers and sometimes you don't, but we always get the last word," Rodriguez says. "We've been doing this all of our lives. Some guy comes to a game two, three, four times a year and tries to rag on somebody; he doesn't know what he's in for."
Nor does his girlfriend or wife.
"It's tough when they bring their date with them. That's no good. And they decide to pop off. Then we have to get the poor girl involved. That's when he usually shuts up."
Better to shut up than throw up. Here's another beauty from Charlton:
"In San Diego the second deck hangs over the bullpen and we looked up and were waving at this kid," he says. "The next thing you know, it felt like someone poured a soda on us. We looked at it and it was dark brown. We looked up and the kid was eating chocolate ice cream and drinking a coke ... he choked on an ice cube and threw up. It went all over us. It was in the fifth inning, so we had to call down for someone to bring us fresh uniform jerseys."
You just never know what might happen down there in the 'pen, but pretty much anything goes. Usually the manager can't see you, so you do what you want. Just don't do it way out in the open.
Doug Jones is out of the game after 148 seasons in the Majors, and he hasn't been in the minor leagues since we were all denying we owned a Bay City Rollers album. But he can think of at least one area in which the bush leagues beat the bigs.
"Up here, they've got a camera on everybody all the time," Jones says. "If you put your finger in your nose, you are bound to be on TV."
But if you put your finger in somebody else's nose, you're a hero to guys like Charlton. That's life in the 'pen.
Mychael Urban covers the Oakland A's for MLB.com and can be reached atmurban@oaklandathletics.com. Jim Street of MLB.com contributed to this column, which was not subject to approval by Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Modern players need history lesson
Modern players need history lesson
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Frank Robinson -- for a very short time, presumably -- sits in fourth place on the all-time home run list, yet as is his nature, he seems nonplussed by the frequency with which his name and his career are being brought up on sportscasts across the country. The fact his various feats and accomplishments (1956 NL Rookie-of-the-Year, 1961 NL MVP, 1966 AL MVP, 1966 AL Triple Crown, 1966 World Series MVP, to name a few) are recalled when only one of his career marks is on the verge of being surpassed, however, is something he finds if not distasteful, then at the very least unfortunate.
Not that Robinson has any interest in self-promotion. On the contrary, he finds it merely a shame that many of the lesser-known players of a bygone era -- who were still very good and worthy of appreciation in their own right -- are being allowed to fade into the shadows of memory by their modern brethren, who no longer have a keen interest in celebrating the past.
"A lot of young players don't know the last generation of players; they only know the current players," he says. "This generation doesn't know much about history. They watch television; they're not watching news or anything like that. Information is not passed on to their peers like it used to be. Grandfathers and fathers always stood around and talked baseball with their sons. [Now] they don't want to hear nothing from anybody. The veteran players used to talk about players and pass along stories of an era and incidents and information to younger players. Now, they don't want to hear it."
The matter of knowing one's roots, in Robinson's estimation, is very much an issue of principle. He fondly recalls some of the colorful characters he followed and appreciated growing up, citing such forgotten names as Luke Easter, Jungle Jim Rivera, Sad Sam Jones, Camilo Pascual, Lew Burdette, Gene Conley, and Luis Arroyo. He finds it hard to figure how players from his time sought out and read information about those who blazed trails before them, while today's average big leaguer simply fills his spare moments with television, video games, and other distractions, at times questioning him on how he knows anything about a slider or split-finger fastball since those pitches "weren't around" back when he played.
"I just think they're missing something in life," he suggests. "It's not just the baseball side of it -- they're just missing something, because it is as important to know your business as it is to know how it was possible for you to be in the business. For you to be in business, someone else had to blaze the trail or take some of the hits. It's nice to know something about those people; that's the way I look at it."
The sentiment is one that is shared by several veterans in Robinson's clubhouse. Lee Stevens, a self-professed student of baseball who cites When it was a Game as his favorite DVD, takes time to actively seek out books and footage on the game from decades ago, and admits things aren't like they used to be.
"No question it's changed," he said. "Three or four years ago, I was with a guy in Texas who told me he had never heard of Rod Carew -- he had no idea who he was. And this guy was from California. He was 24, 25 years old, too. This guy wasn't young -- 18, 19 whatever. He was 25 years old, and he didn't know Jim Rice, Rod Carew."
"I think it's a shame. We [veterans] talk about guys all the time -- 'Do you remember this guy?' -- and the [younger players] will never have heard of them. Even some of the big names who played in the olden days. I think it's just a personal thing with every player -- how much you love the game, and the passion you have for it. I think a lot of these guys don't even realize what their coaching staffs have done, how many years they've played. It's the history of the game -- that's why we're all here."
Joey Eischen, who wears his socks up above his calves as a tribute to the great Negro League players of the past, is one of the few other historians in the Montreal clubhouse. In his estimation, the gross change in what was once a reverence for the past is as much to blame on society itself as any definable trend in baseball.
"It's people in general, just in the world," he suggested. "Nobody really worries about the other guy and what the other guy thinks. That kind of stuff just doesn't exist nowadays. Everybody's more concerned with, 'What can I do to get further ahead. Who can I step over, who can I step on,' instead of doing the right thing and just trying to live your life right and appreciate the stuff that's given to you. That's what upsets me more than anything about the players nowadays. They think the game owes them something. The players nowadays don't look to the past, because they don't care about that kind of stuff. They just want to know, 'What can you do for me, now; who cares who those guys are, what can I get, now.'"
In contrast to Eischen and Stevens, Troy O'Leary readily admits he's not one for history, conceding he wasn't even aware Bonds was on the verge of overtaking Robinson on the all-time home run list. While he enjoys learning about past greats as he goes along, he theorizes there's simply too little time in the nomadic, suitcase-lugging life of today's players to absorb an extensive degree of information.
"There's already stress enough trying to be here," he says, perhaps all-too-cognizant of his month-long stint in Triple-A to open the season. "I'm still nervous every day when I'm out there. The only time you can reflect on history is when you're going through magazines when you're not playing the game -- on the flight, on the bus, talking with others, BP."
"I sure didn't know [much history] when I started," he adds. "I just wanted to do well and try to help the team. Once I started with the Red Sox, Jim Rice taught me a lot about it. Even Tommy Harper, Chili Davis ... With people like that around me, you tend to soak in some of the history, and appreciate it more."
Ultimately, irrespective of whether the past is celebrated on a given team or not, it's clear that baseball's pioneers and their subsequent generations are being paid increasingly less attention. The possibility for change in that regard, it would appear, is bleak. While Stevens is glad for the opportunity to revisit the past when a pursuit of a record comes along -- as is the case with Bonds and Robinson -- he isn't overly optimistic that a return to the days of old is possible.
"I don't know what can be done about it," he says. "I guess the only thing is that the older players who are still around can try to pass it on. That's all you can do."
As for the man who will likely lose his fourth-place slot on the all-time home run list in the coming week, he sees little chance for his contemporaries -- and those who preceded them -- to be celebrated with much frequency in the future.
"As older historians pass away, and as the older veteran guys pass away," says Robinson, "that's just going to become something of a lost era."
J.S. Trzcienski covers the Expos for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Spelling bee at the bases
Spelling bee at the bases
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 Mark Bellhorn / IF | |
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luxuriance (1927). Definition: The quality or state of being luxuriant, or yielding abundantly. Use in a sentence: The Yankees have shown a luxuriance of home runs this season, but when they resume the rivalry with Boston today in the Bronx, they will face the same Derek Lowe who has not allowed a home run in his last 92 innings.
 Luis Gonzalez / LF | |
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semaphore (1946): Definition: An apparatus for visual signaling, as by the position of one or more movable arms. Use in a sentence: Luis Gonzalez got his semaphore from Arizona third-base coach Eddie Rodriguez to swing away, and proceeded to hit a pitch into McCovey's Cove for a 1-0 victory over the Giants to win the series.
 Jason Marquis / P | |
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euonym (1997). Definition: A good or appropriate name. Use in a sentence: Jason Marquis' last name isn't just a euonym for the Braves marketing department; it's one that Atlanta fans are now looking forward to in the Probable Starters.
No. 10, Atlanta. Is Chipper Jones tough, or what? Just two nights earlier, he couldn't even stand up. He hobbled home on crutches after fouling a ball of his right calf, leaving a nasty bruise that figured to keep him out of the lineup a few days. Instead, he made a surprise pinch-hitting appearance Wednesday, then proclaimed himself ready to start again. On Thursday, Jones had three hits in his quick return to the lineup, helping Atlanta to a 5-2 victory over Montreal that keeps the Braves on top in the NL East. "I'm not trying to set an example," Jones said after singling three times, the last hit driving in a run in the seventh. "I just hate sitting on the bench."
"Of course, everybody would like to have a higher average, but I'm just trying to give the team a cushion or try to get them back in the game with one swing. And fortunately enough, a couple of times this year I've been able to do that. That's all I'm really trying to do, is to help." -- Greg Norton
Mark Newman is a contributor to MLB.com and he can be reached atMarknewman2002@aol.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Reds look to prove doubters wrong Larkin and Co. believe Cincy for real
Reds look to prove doubters wrong
Larkin and Co. believe Cincy for real
By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com |
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Doubters take note: The Reds showed no signs of stumbling in their three-game sweep of the Marlins.
Boosted by Larkin's home run and two RBIs Thursday, Cincinnati knocked off the Marlins, 4-1, at Pro Player Stadium.
The Reds wrapped up the road trip with a 4-2 record and a two-game edge over the Cardinals in the NL Central. They now head home to face the Braves.
Despite being in first place, Larkin doesn't believe critics think the Reds are for real.
"Oh, they're expecting us to fall off," the 17-year veteran shortstop said. "That's motivation for a lot of guys."
St. Louis, winners of eighth of 10, certainly have heated up the Central race.
While few doubted the Reds' ability to hit, many wondered if they had enough pitching. The answer, in the Florida series, at least, was yes.
Jimmy Haynes (5-5) turned in an impressive performance on Thursday evening, holding the Marlins to one run in 6 2/3 innings. The right-hander effectively kept pitches down and worked out of jams in the first and sixth innings by getting double plays.
The Marlins managed to scratch out just six hits. Leaving a fastball up on a 3-1 count, which led to Derrek Lee's seventh-inning, 432-foot homer to center, was Haynes' only crucial mistake. And Cincinnati was up 3-0 at the time, which minimized the solo shot's impact.
Taking early leads was the Reds' common thread in all three wins. A two-run second inning gave Haynes a little breathing room on Thursday, and he never really struggled.
"It helps a lot," Haynes said of pitching with the lead. "It takes a little pressure off you and puts a little pressure on the other team. I worked out of jams a couple of times. The double plays were big for me."
After Florida's Luis Castillo led off with a walk in the first, Haynes got Andy Fox to bounce into a 3-6 double play.
In the second, the Reds offense went to work for a pair of runs, assisted by Eric Owens' error in right field.
Adam Dunn, who went 3-for-4, singled to start the inning. Sean Casey followed with another single, and Aaron Boone reached on a walk. Larkin then lofted a fly ball to right that Owens misplayed and dropped.
 Barry Larkin / SS | |
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"I think [the early lead] is big for our pitchers," Larkin said. "It gives them some comfort knowing we can score some runs for them."
Some of the road trip's home run heroics came from players who have been struggling at the plate. Boone, who is batting only .214, belted three home runs in the previous two games.
And, though he currently has a modest five-game hitting streak, Larkin had managed only nine hits in 57 at-bats before Thursday's opposite-field homer off Kevin Olsen, who tossed a cutter on the outside of the plate that Larkin was able to drive over the right field wall.
"I'm struggling," admitted Larkin, who is batting .223.
The long ball helped the Reds throughout the series. It provided insurance in the ninth inning Thursday, as Dunn belted his 11th of the season off Oswaldo Mairena. It was the Reds' fifth homer in the three-game series.
The Reds are now 16-12 in May and 17-12 overall on the road.
"After losing two of three at Atlanta [to start the trip], we came in here looking for a couple of wins," Haynes said. "And we got three."
After losing five of six in the season series to Cincinnati, Marlins manager Jeff Torborg believes the Reds are division contenders.
"They are awfully good," Torborg said. "They can hit. They deserve to be where they are now."
Joe Frisaro is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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