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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Fehr Claims All Who Play Get Scab Tag Union Wants Minor-Leaguers To Sit Out Exhibition Games

Associated Press

As players and owners prepared for the possible resumption of talks, union head Donald Fehr said Sunday that anyone - including minor-leaguers - who appears in exhibition games will be considered a strikebreaker.

Some major league teams have been telling minor-leaguers they will not be considered replacements until April 2, when the regular season starts. But the union says anyone participating in exhibition games, which start March 1, will be at odds with the 1,100 striking major-leaguers.

“Our view is that any spring training game that is played at either the major league site or for which admission is charged is a replacement game,” Fehr said after returning home from a pair of regional meetings with players. “A replacement game is any game that otherwise would have major league players.”

Los Angeles Dodgers general manager Fred Claire said he wants minor-leaguers to play this spring.

“We feel we should have the right to play minor-leaguers in exhibition games,” Claire said. “Players are not salaried until the start of the season. We haven’t signed anyone to a replacement-player contract. Spring training games have always been games where a large number of minor-leaguers have played. That’s why we’re here, to get our players in shape for the season. The players’ association obviously speaks for itself.”

The most prominent minor leaguer is Michael Jordan. Chicago White Sox general manager Ron Schueler wants him to play in exhibition games, but Jordan says he won’t violate union policy.

Fehr said the union will make sure minor-leaguers know the position of the striking players.

“They ought not to be fooled,” he said.

Fehr said the sides had been talking about resuming negotiations Tuesday but nothing definite was set. Initially, each sides may bring reduced bargaining groups to the table.

“I talked to Don once or twice last week about when we could get together, where the meeting should be held, what the size of the group should be - that sort of thing,” said Colorado Rockies chairman Jerry McMorris, a member of management’s negotiating committee. “The fact that he wanted to discuss what we can do to get this thing going again should be viewed as positive.”