Negotiations update: No boycott in works

Negotiations update: No boycott in works

By Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com

As expected, Major League Baseball players have no plans to boycott the July 9 All-Star Game in Milwaukee, a number of player representatives said during individual interviews conducted over the last week.

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.

Barry M. Bloom is a regular contributor to MLB.com. MLB Radio and Tom Singer contributed to this report. This story was not subject to Major League Baseball or its clubs.