ATLANTA -- OWNER WITH A HEART: Braves Owner Ted Turner said
the players are bound to break first: "They won't come back all
at once, but some of the players will need the money. They
aren't as rich as we are. We'll outlast 'em." Turner went on to
refer to his star Greg Maddux as "that fellow who keeps winning
Cy Youngs" (N.Y. TIMES, 2/24). BOSTON -- GOOD FIELD, NO
POWER: Myles Calvey, business manager at the Int'l Brotherhood
of Electrical Workers Union Local 2222: "We don't support scabs.
So, if they have any problems with telephones at Fenway Park, we
won't fix it." Red Sox Dir of Marketing Larry Cancro: "All we
can do is make contingency plans as best we can and try to serve
the fans" (Diane Lewis, BOSTON GLOBE, 2/23).
CHICAGO -- JORDAN RULES: Michael Jordan won't play in
exhibition games, but he still expresses sympathy for minor-
league colleagues: "I don't care who you are or how big you are
in the major leagues, you've got these little people down here
feeling the brunt of what's happening up there. There's got to
be some sensitivity to that. Don't put them in the middle of an
ego fight" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 2/24).
CINCINNATI -- "NO-WIN SITUATION": ESPN profiled how the
Reds are dealing with the minor league issue. Reds GM Jim
Bowden: "If Mr. Fehr is going to stoop to the level to try to
have these minor leaguer kids not play I think it is mean
spirited, I think it is unfair, I think it is unjust." Former
Player Rep/Reds Coach Ray Knight: "I don't think these young kids
should be punished. ... It is a no-win situation for them, it
really is." Former major leaguer Kurt Stillwell, who is in the
Reds camp: "There are a lot of organizations out there. There
is only one union. It is a tough situation" ("SportsCenter,"
ESPN, 2/23).
DETROIT -- SKITTISH SPONSORS: Mike Feeney, GM of WJR, the
Tigers' radio partner, said many sponsors "are concerned over
what replacement baseball will mean and what the ratings will be.
So I think it's fair to say that we're flexible in negotiating
with all of our sponsors at this point" (Steve Crowe, DETROIT
FREE PRESS, 2/24).
MONTREAL -- GOV'T TO OK GAMES: Canadian Federal immigration
rules will be changed to allow the Expos to use replacement
players. "Citing unnamed sources, the CBC said the Liberal
government wants to avoid losing the team and its economic
benefits during a year when Quebec is holding a referendum on
separating from Canada" (TORONTO SUN, 2/24).
NEW YORK -- YANKS' WAY OR HIGHWAY: The Yankees sent home
three minor-leaguers who refused to play in spring games.
Yankees AA pitcher Brian Faw: "A lot of the time, the small guy
gets used" (Jack Curry, N.Y. TIMES, 2/24).
ST. LOUIS -- MR. NICE GUY: Cardinals GM Walt Jocketty has
not threatened to send any minor-leaguers home if they don't
play, but says: "I wanted to make it very clear to the kids that
we're going to support them and back them. But they also have to
remember they have to support us and back us" (Rick Hummel, ST.
LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 2/24).
SAN FRANCISCO -- NO DECISION: Giants officials still have
not decided whether they ask minor leaguers to play in major
league exhibition games. An AP survey shows that 2/3 of minor
leaguers around the league say they will boycott spring
replacement games (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 2/24).
