It was widely reported that the Mariners would kick off
spring training today, but that was a "false alarm." The
Mariners will open camp Monday. The Yankees are reportedly the
only team that officially opens camp today in the Grapefruit
League. Tomorrow, the Giants, Rockies and Angels will be the
first to open camps in AZ. In this morning's ARIZONA REPUBLIC,
Bob Eger writes, "Not so fast. It's going to be another day
before they're even playing catch in the Cactus League" (ARIZONA
REPUBLIC, 2/16).
NATIONAL ATTENTION: On "Good Morning America," ABC's Tyler
Mathisen examined the effect the strike will have on AZ and FL
cities. One sports merchandise store in Fort Myers is cutting
its prices on baseball apparel up to 50%, and "it is still not
selling." Fort Myers Mayor Wilbur Smith: "The Sheraton Hotel,
our largest hotel, has lost 3,000 room nights, that translates
out to about $275,000." Mathisen said each city that hosts a
spring training team will lose between $3M-$5M (ABC, 2/16).
THE ORIOLES: The Orioles are the only team that does not
plan to field a replacement team during both spring training and
the regular season. The team will play "B" games with minor
leaguers if no admission is charged and the opposition does not
use replacement players (Ross Newhan, L.A. TIMES, 2/16). O's
manager Phil Regan: "My worst case scenario is that I have a two-
year contract and go 0-and-0 for two years" (TAMPA TRIBUNE,
2/16). Selig dodged the question of whether he would revoke the
Orioles franchise --either permanently or temporarily -- if they
refused to participate in replacement baseball (THE DAILY).
PLAYER SQUABBLES? According to Nick Cafardo in Boston, Red
Sox 1B Mo Vaughn "apparently spoke the conscience of middle-
salaried and younger players around baseball. His idea of a
secret-ballot to end the strike and his urging of the union to
better represent all sides of the membership have been met with
approval in some quarters." Red Sox 2B Terry Shumpert: "A lot of
players feel things that they can't come out and say" (BOSTON
GLOBE, 2/15). Meanwhile, the Red Sox released hitting coach Mike
Easler after turning down Easler's request for a raise. Easler
claimed that he should have been paid at least as much as
replacement players, who will make at least the league minimum of
$115,000. Easler, who made $80,000 last year: "My contract
stipulates that I'm a 'major league hitting coach.' I'm not a
'replacement player hitting coach.' What a joke" (BOSTON GLOBE,
2/15). ESPN reports that Wally Whitehurst may be the first major
leaguer to cross the picket line. He is expected to be in the
Giants camp, but neither he or the team would comment (ESPN,
2/15).
