SPORTS UN I V E R S I T Y D A I L Y K A N S A N 3B Tuesday, February 21, 1995 Minor-leaguers create somber spring Casual jokes absent from this spring's training camps The Associated Press PLANT CITY, Fla. — No one breaks out a squirt gun. No one gets a shaving-cream pie in the face. Why, no one even stops to watch when the manager goes fishing behind the outfield wall. This Cincinnati Reds' training camp is serious stuff. This Cincinnati Reds' training camp is serious stuff. What is usually the most easygoing, high-spirited time of the year has turned into something akin to a final exam for the minor-leaguers. They may be filling in for striking regulars, but they're not emulating them. There is little levity — no music in the clubhouse, no golf clubs, no practical jokes, hardly any laughter. It's quieter than what even the minor-leaguers are used to. Nearly a joyless spring. "Pranks? I haven't seen any," pitcher Chad Connors said, eating a bowl of chicken noodle soup after Sunday's workout. "At least, I haven't had any pulled on me." the pond behind the outfield wall at Plant City Stadium. The regulars would have joined in the fun and given Johnson more grief with each unsuccessful cast. The minor-leaguers walked past stone-faced, not sticking around to see Johnson hook a six-inch bass. "Spring training is the funnest time of the year," Johnson said. "It's hard work, but you enjoy it, you get in shape, have a few laughs and some fun. There's not a lot of pressure." Maybe not on the coaches, but the strain sure shows on the minor-leaguers getting instruction while regulars strike. If the regulars were here, the lockers would be covered with photographs and baseball cards. Jamie Dismukue, who played for Triple-A Indianapolis last season, is the only one with a baseball card in his locker this spring — a card with his picture resting on the top shelf of his cubicle. The regulars often turn the clubhouse into a funhouse. Jose Rijo liked to squirt people. Randy Myers liked to fish snakes out of the pond and scare other players with them. Anyone doing a television interview risked receiving a shaving-cream pie. None of that for the minor-leaguers. The players stay dry, the snakes stay outside, the shaving cream stays in the cans and the mood stalls all business. "The fantasy campers raised more hell than these guys," one clubhouse manager said, referring to the team's annual fantasy week, during which people pay to practice with the team. It's the same on the field. "They're serious," pitching coach Don Gullett said. "That's something we talked to them about—not trying to impress early on." "You're just trying to get a good look and maybe catch their eye, be at the right place at the right time," said Connors, 23, entering his third professional season. "Maybe get one of those breaks." They are, anyway. Until it names its replacement team next month, the Reds are treating spring training as a minor-league instructional camp. That gives the players a chance to learn and to make an impression that could eventually help their careers. There are a few other factors involved: the players are still getting acquainted; they cover the spectrum from lowest minor-leaguers to former big-leaguers trying to make it back; and the strike is never far from the clubhouse conversation. Each day's strike developments get hashed over by players wondering what it means to them. "It can be hard to concentrate right now with the outside interference of the strike." Connors said. Detroit finds a manager to coach strikebreakers The Associated Press LAKELAND, Fla. — It's a good thing Tom Runnells doesn't scare easily. He's going to need all the cool he can muster as a stand-in manager for Sparky Anderson. The Detroit Tigers appointed Rummlens interim manager on the opening day of camp after Anderson refused to coach strikebreakers. Anderson was placed on an involuntary leave of absence without pay. There is no guarantee the club will ask him back after the strike. Rumellis had been ticketed to manage the Toledo Mud Hens, the Tigers' farm-club in the Triple-A International League. "In a lot of ways, I'm very excited by this very unique challenge," Runnells said. "It is a situation that was asked of me. I didn't go seeking it. But I am going to honor my contract." "I spent the winter drawing up possible lineups for Toledo," Runnells said. "This throws a wrench into that. But this game is about rolling with the punches. I'll make the best of it." At 39, Runnels is 20 years younger than Anderson and might fit in better, both with the replacement players and with the youngsters the Tigers are planning to go with after the strike. Rumells managed the Montreal Expos for parts of two seasons. He took over for Buck Rodgers on June 3, 1991, and the team went 51-61 during the rest of that season. He was fired 37 games into 1992 with a 17-20 record. "I'm having to prepare as though this is going to last all season," he said. "I can't go to Detroit and have us not be ready to play, if it comes to that." Rummlers, who still looks athletic at 6feet,175 pounds,knows the struggle young ballplayers go through. Growing up in Greeley, Colo., he would take a wooden bat across the street from his father's house every night and spend hours hitting rocks, right-handed and left-handed. He would go through the entire New York Yankees lineup, pretending to be each batter on the team. But he was mainly a career minor leaguer as a player. Over parts of two seasons with the Reds, Runnells appeared in only 40 major league games. He hit .200 with eight hits in 46 at-bats. "I love baseball. I have a passion for this game," he said. "You think I'd put up with all this if I didn't?" If the strike ends fairly soon, it is possible the Tigers would invite Anderson back. He was to be paid $1 million for the final year of his 5-year deal this season. But the further the strike drags on, the harder it will be for Rumnells to let go. "Sparky had valid, valid reasons," Runnels said. "I have tremendous respect for Sparky. If Sparky came back tomorrow, I could live with that. But the process is out of my hands." Union says replacement starts with exhibitions The Associated Press NEW YORK — Striking baseball players say they will consider anyone who appears in exhibition games — including minor leaguers — to be a strikebreaker "They ought not to be fooled," union head Donald Fehr said Sunday after returning home from regional meetings with players. But the union says anyone participating in exhibition games, which start March 1, will be at odds with the 1,100 striking major leaguers. Some major league teams have been telling minor leaguers they will not be considered replacements until April 2, when the regular season starts. "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. "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. "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." Bill Usery, who spent the weekend in Florida at talks involving Deere & Co. and the United Auto Workers, will remain the mediator. "Bill Usery has not given up, and he still seems to be the best tool to get everybody back at the table," McMorris said. "Mr. Usery had a lot of fire in his voice when I spoke to him, and he continues to feel there could be a solution." Meanwhile, union leaders in eastern Missouri are urging the 250,000 workers they represent to boycott games with replacements. "Baseball owners want to break a union, so it would be hypocritical for us to go to games played by scabs," Joe C. Middleton Sr., president of Local 1102 of the International Union of Electrical Workers, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Tigers' Stewart annoyed with Sooners' play Cowboys' Reeves finally earns player of the week recognition The Associated Press KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Missouri coach Norm Stewart, upset because of what he called rough play by Oklahoma, fired an angry blast at the news media yesterday. His point seemed to be that since some of his players have been accused of playing too rough, other teams should be criticized when they get rough with his No. 14 Tigers. "I'm looking at a video, and I got a player on one of the first plays in the game who goes into the air and gets undercut." Stewart said. "If one of my players had done that, it comes out a damn big story." "If one of my players had done that,it comes out a damn big story." Stewart said, on another occasion, one of his Norm Stewart Missouri men's basketball coach sue body-blocked," and an Oklahoma player another time hit a Missouri player and "near knocked his teeth out." Insisting he was not criticizing the officiating in Oklahoma's 94-89 victory Saturday, he seemed to grow more angry as he spoke. "I think my ballplayers are getting a bum rap," he said. "If that were one of mine, I want to know what the hell the story is. I think I'm entitled to some damn sense of fairness." Oklahoma coach Kelvin Sampson said rough play is typical in the Big Eight. "That seems to be the norm in this league," Sampson deadpanned. "No pun intended." Sampson, whose team climbed to No. 25 this week, declined to comment specifically on Stewart's remarks until he could learn what specific complaints he had. "I don't think either team was overly physical because fouls were called too tight. I think both teams played hard." Also upset with what's being written was Kansas State's Tom Asbury. It's been suggested the Wildcats, losers of nine of their last 10, have quit. "Nobody's chucked it in in this program," Asbury said. "That's very disturbing to me that people have written off our team and said I'd written off our team. That couldn't be further from the truth. We've probably had two really bad games this year." Oklahoma State coach Eddie Sutton, who chided voters the week before for never making Bryant Reeves Big Eight player of the week, got his wish Monday. The 7-foot Oklahoma State senior won in a split vote over Iowa State's Fred Hoiberg, who scored 41 points Saturday against Colorado. "I would have voted for Holberg this week." Sutton said. Subscribe to the Lawrence Journal-World TODAY & receive a FREE Jayhawk Club Card Delivery today thru May 12th, 1995 for only $19. 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