MLB At A Crossroads: All Teams Meet Monday Payroll

All 30 MLB teams made payroll Monday, "putting to rest last week's concerns by Commissioner Bud Selig that one team might come up short," according to Hal Bodley of USA TODAY. MLB President & COO Bob DuPuy: "The problems for today have been resolved" (USA TODAY, 7/16). In Detroit, Gene Guidi notes, "After rumors last week that the Tigers might have trouble making their payroll Monday, a loud cheer went up in the clubhouse when traveling secretary Bill Brown came in to distribute checks to players" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 7/16). In Boston, Jeff Horrigan notes that Tigers players, "who have seen owner Mike Ilitch funnel the bulk of his resources" toward the Red Wings, "were contemplating action against the hockey team if their checks didn't arrive on time" (BOSTON HERALD, 7/16).

Randy Winn

D'Rays CF Randy Winn: "We went through [payroll issues] last year, and I think that was worse. Last year everybody was worried; guys were calling banks to see if their deposits went through. ... I'm sure it's going to work out again" (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 7/16). In Ft. Lauderdale, Harvey Fialkov reports, "At least a few Marlins employees said they received their pay stubs Monday, but when they checked their bank accounts the cash had not shown up." Marlins President David Samson: "We paid every employee both on and off the field. There may have been some computer problems, but there were no cash problems. ... We have no issues at all" (SUN-SENTINEL, 7/16).

FINANCIAL LOSING STREAK: In a separate piece, Bodley reports that MLB distributes its national TV money "to each team in increments, with the biggest payment later in the year." This year each team will receive $21.5M "in addition to local revenue. Small payments were made in June and July, and about $11[M] will arrive in November. ... So it would seem baseball teams pressed for cash during the summer would be healthy after the season." But DuPuy said, "The losses that are being sustained by over two-thirds of the clubs are real losses derived from operations that have to be paid. They have nothing to do with cash flow or immediate cash-flow needs. Those are taken care of with lines of credit that get repaid when distributions are made from the central fund. But — and this is important — the losses still exist and have to be covered either by owner equity or by additional borrowing. In the instances of many clubs, additional borrowing just isn't available." Bodley notes that owners have "stockpiled $210[M] in case of a work stoppage" (USA TODAY, 7/16). ESPN's Peter Gammons: "Since the beginning of the season, not one potential free agent has been signed, which tells you the owners are just trying to flood the market and scare the players. ... This is part of the whole negotiating process — don't sign any of your free agents" ("Baseball Tonight," ESPN2, 7/15).

FEHR EXPLAINS IT ALL: MLB.com's Barry Bloom reports MLBPA Exec Dir Donald Fehr yesterday met with Cardinals and Dodgers players in L.A. The two-hour meeting with the Dodgers was held in the team's clubhouse "only two hours before Monday night's game between the two teams" (MLB.com, 7/16). Fehr yesterday "reaffirmed the players' solidarity." Fehr: "You can't scare these guys. ... You would think people would understand that (the players can't be intimidated). They are here, in large part, because they want to compete. They want to get the right thing done, and they don't ever give up" (L.A. TIMES, 7/16).

WILL THEY STRIKE? In Detroit, Tom Gage reports that in a unanimous vote last night, Tigers players gave union rep Damion Easley "the authority not only to vote on a strike date but also to approve on their behalf of a walkout when the time comes" (DETROIT NEWS, 7/16).

Bob Costas

NBC's Bob Costas appeared on last night's edition of MSNBC's "Donahue" and said, "I think (a strike) will be avoided because the stakes are too high, and the players ... will realize that they either compromise now or they compromise later." But Costas also said, "I wouldn't bet my life on this (because) I think there's a significant chance of a strike" ("Donahue," MSNBC, 7/15). One business exec with "close ties" to MLB said, "Everybody knows a strike would be too damaging to the game. But when I look at the positions and the time left, given the lack of movement and where they are, there's no alternative but a strike" (N.Y. TIMES, 7/16). Agent Scott Boras: "[The MLBPA's] only window for a measured labor response is the remainder of the season" (MLB.com, 7/16).

CONSPIRACY? In Milwaukee, Geoff Davidian of the alternative newspaper the SHEPHERD EXPRESS reported that a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel column, titled "It's time the Seligs left," was "intentionally omitted from Sunday [July 7] papers delivered to the media room at [All-Star] FanFest, Downtown hotels and certain other locations." Journal Sentinel VP/Circulation Mark Thomas: "The Business section was not pulled because of the negative story about Selig. It's a coincidence. Trust me, there was nothing done because of the negative story" (SHEPHERD EXPRESS, 7/11).