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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Mariners’ Fireman Records Irreplaceable Save

From Wire Reports

Spring training

Seattle Mariners reliever Dave Graybill faced a different kind of save situation before he pitched Monday.

Graybill, a replacement player who also holds a regular job as a firefighter in nearby Glendale, Ariz., helped rescue badly burned 18-month-old twins early in the morning. Later, he worked two scoreless innings in the Mariners’ 6-5 win over the Chicago Cubs.

“I had the worst day of my life in one career, then had one of the best days in my other career,” said Graybill, a member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic baseball team.

“There I am, holding a little baby boy, burned so bad that his skin’s falling off, all over the place, all over my arms. He’s looking up at me, like, ‘please help me.’ I’m looking at death right in the face,” Graybill said in a telephone interview from the Mariners’ camp in Peoria, Ariz.

“A little later, I’m out in the sun, spitting sunflower seeds, playing a game and having fun,” he said. “It was an unbelievable roller coaster ride in 10 hours. I just hope I never have to go through something like that again.”

Union and owners hold ‘secret’ meeting

Acting commissioner Bud Selig and union head Donald Fehr met secretly in Washington in an effort to restart the strike talks that broke down March 4.

With just 13 days remaining until the start of the season, owners appeared intent on opening with replacements April 2. Both sides agree it would be impossible for the major leaguers to begin the season on time.

The meeting wasn’t announced in advance by either players or owners, but sources on both sides confirmed its existence to The Associated Press. The meeting was to continue today.

If the sides find a basis to resume full-scale bargaining, talks probably would resume this week either in Atlanta, Florida, New York or Washington, according to one person familiar with the discussions.

The person, who spoke on the condition he not be identified, said the session was designed to give Selig and Fehr the chance to tell each other where their sides stood in the talks.

It was designed as a 1-on-1 session, but union lawyer Lauren Rich also was in Washington, as were management lawyers Chuck O’Connor and Rob Manfred.

Meanwhile, on the NLRB front, Edwin Brown was named to conduct the hearing beginning May 22 on the complaint the board issued last week. Brown is the board’s associate chief administrative law judge.

Hershiser predicts massive job cuts

Pitcher Orel Hershiser, who has not heard from the Los Angeles Dodgers since they declined to offer him a contract two months ago, predicts that many of his peers will be permanently unemployed when the baseball strike ends.

“I think you’re going to see a lot of guys who might consider retiring if this thing goes much longer,” Hershiser said. “And you’re going to see guys who are forced into retirement. I could see at least two or three guys on each club who are gone when this over.

“You just don’t know what’s going to happen to the fourth and fifth outfielders and the 10th and 11th pitchers on teams. Clubs are taking a pretty good financial hit through this, and they may decide to take a young guy making $115,000 instead of a veteran making $600,000-$800,000.

“The teams that fall further and further from first place, you’re going to see a lot of that.”

Hershiser, 36, plans to continue pitching. He has had serious talks with two or three teams - among them the Cleveland Indians and San Francisco Giants - and expects to pick one when the strike ends.

Orioles cancel spring training schedule

Baseball officials canceled what was left of the Baltimore Orioles’ spring training schedule, citing the club’s refusal to play teams that field replacement players.

Orioles general manager Roland Hemond was notified of the decision by telephone from Bill Murray, the administrator of the commissioner’s office. The Orioles’ minor-league exhibition games were canceled, too.

“Since we have not found a resolution to the use of replacement players, Bill Murray has informed us that all minor league games between the Orioles and their opponents have been canceled,” Hemond said.