Players Ready To Return - To Table

Baseball players followed their victory of the National Labor Relations Board with a call Wednesday for owners to resume negotiations.

“The only way it’s going to get done is to get the all the owners in here and start talking,” Atlanta third baseman Terry Pendleton said. “Bring the guys who can seal the deal, not just guys who can talk about it.”

Pendleton was among 35 “highprofile” players who met with union head Donald Fehr at an Orlando hotel Tuesday night and early Wednesday. Fehr went to Florida immediately after the NLRB accused owners of illegally eliminating salary arbitration and the anti-collusion provisions of the expired collective bargaining agreement.

“You would hope this will be the wake-up call for those guys,” Toronto designated hitter Paul Molitor said. “This ought to be the sign that they need to get to the table and get this thing done.”

Players would end their strike if a federal judge issues an injunction restoring salary arbitration and free agent bidding. Owners, not wanting to play another season under the old system, may lock out the players if the union ends the strike without an agreement.

Players said any settlement would have to wipe out the records of any games played by replacements.

Cal Ripken, who has played 2,009 consecutive games, leaving him 121 games shy of Lou Gehrig’s record, reaffirmed his support for the union.

“I think that’s huge,” Pendleton said. “We’ve discussed it. I’m being very selfish for Cal Ripken on this thing. His streak’s got to be alive. No doubt about that.”

Replacement M’s sloppy

At Peoria, Ariz., Seattle committed five errors that led to six unearned runs and the Mariners lost to the Milwaukee Brewers 10-6 Wednesday.

The replacement Mariners have committed 29 errors in 11 games, leading to 33 unearned runs.

“I need to find nine players who can catch the ball,” Seattle manager Lou Piniella said.

“That’s the biggest problem I see here. I feel sorry for the pitchers. We tell them to keep the ball on the ground, which they are doing, but our fielders aren’t catching it.”

Throwing errors by third baseman Rick Morris and pitcher Tim Smith led to a two-run second inning by the Brewers. Seattle scored twice in the second on Morris’ two-run single.