BALTIMORE: Orioles Owner Peter Angelos told a local TV
station that he thinks the strike will be settled within the next
two weeks. Angelos: "The two sides are closer than they realize.
... If the two sides get together and look at [Usery's proposal]
as a starting point, this thing can be worked out in two weeks"
(Baltimore SUN, 2/13). Oriole Player Rep Mike Mussina said there
is restlessness among the players: "I'm not dumb enough to
believe there's 100 percent solidarity" (WASHINGTON POST, 2/13).
BAY AREA: A sampling of A's and Giants players revealed
mostly solidarity. "None supported Dykstra's feeling that the
union should consider" Usery's proposal (Michael Martinez, SAN
JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 2/12).
BOSTON: Red Sox' Mo Vaughn said he wishes the union would
take a secret ballot to determine whether to end the strike to
prove the solidarity of the players: "I'm not necessarily
frustrated with the fact we're not playing, but how we look to
everybody on the outside. ... There's a professional way of going
about things, regardless of how you feel inside." Vaughn thinks
more players will speak out in the days ahead (Nick Cafardo,
BOSTON GLOBE, 2/12).
CHICAGO: Jerome Holtzman critiques Fehr's efforts but does
not call on him to step aside: "Had Fehr been willing to absorb a
small setback, the strike could have been avoided. And now ...
perhaps as many as 30 or 50 percent of the union's members appear
anxious for him to make a deal" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 2/12).
CINCINNATI: CINCINNATI ENQUIRER's Paul Daugherty writes,
"When Dykstra says that players are 'running out of time' to cut
a deal, I am thinking what he means is, players are 'running out
of money' and 'running out of patience'" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER,
2/13).
COLORADO: Rockies Owner Jerry McMorris was very surprised
President Clinton did not support William Usery's suggestions for
a settlement: "Somebody got to him. ... I was stunned, and I'm
still stunned" (Baltimore SUN, 2/11).
FLORIDA: MIAMI HERALD's Ed Pope writes, "Something
infinitely worse than a stalemate is developing in baseball,
something vastly more powerful than love for the game or hatred
for those who have brought it this far down. Sheer indifference"
(MIAMI HERALD, 2/12).
MONTREAL: The Expos announced their replacement player
ticket plan. The club cut prices by 50% across the board (except
for opening day) until the resolution of the strike, or a
representative number of Major League players join the roster.
Fans who purchase single game tickets have to pay full price and
are eligible for the refund after the game is played (Montreal
GAZETTE, 2/11).
NEW YORK: Yankees Owner George Steinbrenner was interviewed
by N.Y. TIMES' Betsy Billard. On the failed negotiating process:
"I'm embarrassed by it. ... The only people that are coming out
of this with anything to date are the lawyers." On Peter
Angelos: "Peter Angelos is okay. He's a very smart man. I don't
think he's doing the right thing by not, up to a certain point,
staying loyal to the rest of his co-owners" (N.Y. TIMES, 2/12).
