Nlrb Delays Injunction Ruling
The likelihood of an end to the strike before opening day diminished Thursday when the National Labor Relations Board delayed possible court action until next week.
Management’s negotiating committee, meeting at Rosemont, Ill., said it won’t be making any major changes to its proposal when talks do resume, leaving only a remote possibility for an agreement that would avert the use of replacement players when the season starts April 2.
The NLRB’s five-member board met in Washington and was expected to give Fred Feinstein, the agency’s general counsel, permission to seek a preliminary injunction that would restore salary arbitration, free-agent bidding and anti-collusion rules. Players say they would end the strike if an injunction is granted.
But mediator W.J. Usery, who is attempting to schedule a bargaining session for this weekend, telephoned NLRB chairman William Gould on Wednesday night and asked for the delay, according to a source.
Homestead confused
Homestead, Fla., withdrew its offer to hold a spring training camp for major leaguers planning a barnstorming tour, then reversed course and said it would reopen negotiations.
“There was quite a bit of support from our business community,” vice mayor Roscoe Warren said after a unanimous vote from city commissioners Thursday night. “They said they saw this as a unique opportunity for our community as long as we make it clear that it is not our intent to come between the owners and players.”
Good one, Felipe
Despite Montreal’s 12-4 victory over the Florida Marlins on Thursday, Expos manager Felipe Alou wasn’t congratulating his players.
“It’s not easy to celebrate a joke,” Alou said.
Earth-shaking move
Dealin’ Dan Duquette, the man who brought Jose Canseco to Boston, has done it again.
Well, maybe not “it” precisely. But the Red Sox general manager made a trade of sorts Thursday, his first of the replacement spring.
Duquette sent infielder Felix Colon to the Detroit Tigers as the player to be named in a minor-league deal last year that brought Javier Gonzalez to the Red Sox system.
Colon, the Carolina League batting champion in 1993, was hitting .190 this spring. Gonzalez hit .193 in 30 games last year with New Britain of the Class AA Eastern League.
No clemency for Rose
Acting commissioner Bud Selig said he’s not inclined to lift Pete Rose’s lifetime ban from major league baseball.
Selig, answering questions following a speech to a business group, was asked about the punishment imposed by commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti in August 1989.
“Bart Giamatti was one of the best friends I’ve ever had in the world, and I have great faith in his decision,” Selig said. “His decision still stands, and as far as I’m concerned his decision should stand.”
Rose’s son, Pete Jr., is a replacement infielder with the Chicago White Sox. Selig, the Milwaukee Brewers president, wouldn’t guess when the work stoppage might end.
“One thing I’m not going to do is make predictions because I really don’t know,” he said. “We’re just going to keep at it until we get it done.”
Mariners top Giants
In Scottsdale, Ariz., Terrel Hansen broke a tie with an RBI single in the seventh inning as Seattle beat the the San Francisco Giants 4-2.