Minor-Leaguers In Pickle
Most of Seattle’s minor league players, caught in the middle of the months-old war between major league players and owners, remained there Tuesday.
Asked by a union that doesn’t represent them not to participate in big-league exhibition games that begin Friday, the Mariners’ minor leaguers were asked Sunday to make themselves available for the games.
As of Tuesday, a few had. But only a few.
“The responses are trickling in, and as of right now, we’ve got 40-plus players available for the games that begin Friday,” general manager Woody Woodward said. “Those numbers could change - either way.”
Many of the minor leaguers in camp asked that the Mariners wait for a decision until after a meeting tonight in which union president Don Fehr and major league players will formally state their case in a Phoenix meeting.
Fewer than 10 minor leaguers in camp have accepted Seattle’s offer, which includes incentives to fill in during the exhibition schedule.
“They’re players and their natural sympathy is with other players,” said Jim Beattie, the Mariners’ director of player development. “They’ve been put in a very tough situation, and our intention is to make it easier for them. If they don’t play, it won’t be held against them. If they do, they’ll be compensated.”
Minor leaguers get about $10 per day in meal money during spring training, and no salary. Those who volunteer to play - even on days when they’re not used - will be given $80 a day in meal money and $100 a game in salary.
“You take kids who make maybe $30,000 a year and give them the chance to make another $5,000 this spring, how can the union tell those kids they don’t have that right?” manager Lou Piniella asked. “If this was April 3, and these kids were taking players’ salaries, that’s one thing. But major league players aren’t losing a dime during the spring and owners will lose more money playing these games than if they weren’t played.”
“We’ve got to begin getting these guys ready,” Piniella said.
Great game
In the first spring game, Seattle came from behind in the eighth inning of an eight-inning exhibition to beat an Oklahoma junior college team, 6-4.
The Trojans showed up nearly an hour late for the game, and Piniella left more than an hour early, having seen enough after five innings.
Back to the links
These might not be major league players, but it didn’t matter to PGA golfer Blaine McCallister.
A friend of Tacoma Rainiers manager Steve Smith, McCallister donned a Mariners spring uniform and worked out Tuesday, then got one at-bat against a junior college pitcher - and struck out on five pitches. It’s back to golf today.
Waiting game
Mariners first-base coach Sam Mejias still is unable to leave Venezuela because the immigration department won’t honor his visa. It’s in the same classification as a players visa, and the government has recognized the strike, meaning no Latino players are allowed into the country.