European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 29, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Be As set Date by Ronald Blum new York a baseball players said thursday hey will strike on August 12 if they Haven t agreed to a new labor contract with owners. The decision made during a Telephone conference Call of the unions executive Board puts baseball on track for its eighth work stoppage in 22 years. A we believe that this Date will maximize the Chance of successfully negotiating an agreement without any work stoppage a Union head Donald Fehr said. A the purpose of setting the strike Date earlier rather than later in the season is to focus the negotiations now and see if we can get the Job players fear owners will unilaterally impose a salary Cap after the season unless there is an agreement to replace the four year Deal that expired dec. 31. The Union Hopes a strike would Force owners to reach a Deal in order to preserve the postseason and an estimated $140 million in television Money an average of $5 million per club. A a strike is. A last resort a Fehr said a no one wants to play More than the players do. But the owners continue to insist on a salary Cap. This artificial restriction on the free Market would not Only destroy free Agency for players but also would damage competitive balance on the Field further enrich the Large mar Ket owners and make matters worse for the Small Market a the conference Call lasted 90 minutes and the decision by the Board was unanimous. The strike would take effect after the games of thursday aug. 11. The final game would be Seattle at Oakland. A Dick Ravitch has said that strikes Only occur when one Side underestimates the leverage of the other a Fehr said wednesday. A sometimes they occur because somebody wants Fehr criticized owners for not having a commissioner and Ravitch for already saying he would leave baseball after these negotiations. A a we re really quite far apart at this Point a Ravitch the head of new York City a transit system during a subway and bus strike in 1980, said wednesday. Players voted nearly unanimously to give their executive Board the authority to set a strike Dale and Call a walkout. Mark Belanger an assistant to Fehr said wednesday there were Only six no votes Belanger said the Union did no to count All the votes in favor of allowing the executive Board to Call a strike which would be the sports eighth work stoppage in 22 years. Based on an average of 28 players per team including the disabled list the total in favor probably was about 780. Ravitch said the unions proposal to raise the minimum salary from $109,000 to $175,000-5200,000 and to restore salary arbitration to players with two years of major league service would Cost clubs $660 million to $700 million Over four years and $1.57 billion to $1.65 billion Over seven seasons. He said the proposals would add $236,000 to the average salary and would increase the percentage of Revenue going to players from 58 percent in 1994 to 7074 percent by 1998, a the players proposals were rejected the stars and strip sports july 29,1994 Page 40 out of hand. The magnitude of the Cost increases Are irrelevant a Fehr said. A the Cost is too High a Ravitch said. A indeed it moves in the opposite direction this game has to go in the Small Market clubs will be the ones most burdened by the problem. It will Force their costs Way above their races tighten by the associated press after three Days of head to head showdowns the National league races Are tighter than they be Ever been. Seven teams Are in the thick of the fighting. The los Angeles san Francisco Mon Treal Atlanta and Houston Cincinnati series concluded wednesday with no team Able to sweep the opposition. Barring a Long strike the three matchup wont be repeated until the final weekend of the season sept. 30 to oct 2, when the games will be held at hous National league ton los Angeles and Montreal instead of the other Way around. Houston won its series with Cincinnati with victories in the last two games including a 7-1 win in 12 innings wednesday san Francisco won two of three from los Angeles taking the finale 4-1. And Atlanta in the worst shape in the standings of any of the second place teams prevented a Montreal sweep by beating the expos 4-1.giants 4, dodgers 1 at candlestick Park los Angeles had a 1-0 Lead until the eighth inning when Barry Bonds sparked san Francisco a comeback Victory. Tom Candiotti 7-6 gave up a Meadoff single to Darren Lewis who took second on John Pattersonsr bunt. Bonds Sharp single to right tied the game and Matt Williams doubled off the left Field Wall before Darryl Strawberry was intentionally walked to Load the bases. Candiotti then walked Dave Martinez on four straight pitches to Force in Bonds with the winning run. One out later Kirt Manwaring drove in two More runs with a ground Rule 4, expos 1 at Fulton county stadium Kent Mercker pitched seven Strong innings Barry up shutout see Page 38 for the Al action and Jeff Blauser hit a two run Homer As Atlanta moved within 2xh games of Montreal. Montreal a eight game winning Streak came to an end. Mercker .9-3who allowed five hits and struck out six in seven innings escaped a pair of bases loaded two out jams by retiring Larry Walker in the first on a strikeout and in the fifth on a Popup to shortstop. Astros 7, reds 1 at riverfront stadium Jeff Bagwell hit his 34th Home run and singled Home the go ahead run in the 12th inning a his 103rd rib of the season. In the 12th, Steve Finley led off with a triple bringing up Bagwell and reds Kent Mercker. Prevents expo sweep manager Davey Johnson elected to leave Pitcher Scott service 0-2 in the game. Bagwell lined a first pitch Slider to left to break the tie and launch a six run 9, Rockies 2 at Jack Murphy stadium Colorado blew a Chance to move into a first place tie with the dodgers it would have been the first time this season that the Rockies sat atop the 3, marlins 1 at Joe Robbie stadium Bobby Munoz pitched a two hitter for his first career Complete 7, cardinals 4. At Busch stadium Bobby Bonilla hit a pair of two run Home runs including the tie breaking shot in a four run eighth. Jeff Bagwell. ,. 103 rib in 102 games Tim Bogar added a two run Homer in the eighth and Ryan Thompson had a Solo shot in the ninth his 17th,pirates 9, cubs 4 at three Rivers stadium Rick White 35 won for the first time As a major league starter limiting Chicago to two hits in six update Yankees 4, red sox 3,11 innings new York a Mike Gal Glt doubled Home Bernie Williams in that 11th inning lifting the new York Yan Kees Over the Boston red sox thursday in a game suspended by rain wednesday the teams were scheduled to play Aneth Bergame. 1
