The MLBUA received their first proposal from management
since the American and National Leagues locked out the umpires on
January 1. Both sides refused to disclose details. Management
negotiator Robert Kheel said he offered the umpires "inducements"
to moderate their salary demands. MLBUA General Counsel Richie
Phillips: "The proposal was not enough of a move on their part
to give me optimism that there's going to be a quick resolution
to this dispute. But it was certainly meaningful to the extent
that it stimulates negotiations" (Murray Chass, N.Y. TIMES,
4/14). ESPN's Karl Ravech: "Little progress was made"
("Baseball Tonight," 4/13). O's Owner Peter Angelos notified the
AL he will field a team while umps are locked out (Balt. SUN,
4/14).
IT'S SPRING, AND ALL IS WELL: The ST. PETE TIMES reports
that spring training opened averaging about 3,750, down from last
year's 6,202 average, "but not bad for a weekday start to the
second exhibition season of the spring" (Marc Topkin, ST.
PETERSBURG TIMES, 4/14). CNN's Mark Morgan on the first day of
spring training games: "It was as if baseball had never been
away. The fans returned to ballparks all across the sunshine
state of Florida because the game they love is back" ("Sports
Tonight," CNN, 4/13).
TAKE THAT, DON: ESPN's Karl Ravech, on the forgotten
replacement players: "But Don Fehr seems determined to make sure
his players do not. Fehr said on Thursday the Association will
likely give its players a master list of replacement players.
It's not like they were a secret, they were in the newspaper.
Perhaps this seemingly immature decision guaranteed to create
unrest rather than peace sheds some light on why we do not have a
collective bargaining agreement" ("Baseball Tonight," ESPN,
4/13).
