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Friday, March 10, 1989 / University Daily Kansan
Ueberroth: Major-league baseball can avoid strike
The Associated Press
FORT LAUDRALE, Fla. — Peter Ueberoth will be gone as baseball commissioner when the club owners and the union start negotiating a new basic agreement later this year.
He thinks that the new contract can be reached without a strike or a lockout, both of which have been predicted. But, Ueberroth said the negations should produce a "fairer system" of salary structure.
After a three-year full in free-agent signings, major-league owners took out their checkbooks this winter, and some are concerned that baseball is headed for the red again after record profits under Ueberroth.
"It would take them a long time (to lose money)," the commissioner said yesterday. "But it could happen over a period of time. Hopefully, they will develop . . . a system that is fairer for everybody."
Ubereroth said that salary arbitration, a potentially explosive issue in the negotiations, did not have to be dismantled.
"I think arbitration is a pretty good thing; I'm not totally against it," he said.
But he said a fairer system was needed.
"Somebody that makes the team and plays (regularly) and is paid $60,000 for playing center field and the left fielder is making two million dollars. "Somebody that makes it somebody can tell me why that if they're more clever than I am."
The commissioner had ideas on how to change baseball's salary process but did not want to disclose them. He also wanted to tap up or share local television profiles.
Ueberroth presides over his last meeting today; his term ends March 31. A. Bartlett Giamatti assumes office the next day.
The Ubeerboro years, although marked by unprecedented profit, also have seen a growing antagonism between the two groups how to share the growing revenues.
The Basic Agreement expires on Dec. 31, and many foresee a strike next season. When Ueberroth took
But outgoing commissioner says salary structure unfair
office in October 1984, 21 of the 26 major-league teams were losing money Twenty-two made money or not for which full figures are available.
"I came into baseball at a low point," Ueberroth said. "It was a low point socially, a low point morally." I think he's better shape now, "I think it's in better shape now."
In 1983, baseball had a $67 million loss; it had a $100 million profit in 1984. In his four full years, the teams produced results according to a management report.
"There's a right person for a right time in every institution's history, and what I think I was able to do for baseball was attract some people into the game who had ideas that were helpful."
from copyright tribunal, licensing,
corporate marketing and television
and radio for helping put baseball in
sound financial condition.
Baseball has a new four-year, $1.06 billion deal with CBS and a four-year, $400 million deal on cable with ESPN
"The they were overcommercializing the game and doing it for no revenue," Ueberroth said. "Gillette (razor blades) had been the sponsor of the All-Star Game voting and had not been asked to pay for it. We took it back and took a look at it. There's a long line of people who want to now."
Baseball's financial boom started in 1985 and was paralleled with a dramatic reduction in the signing of players. The players called it collusion.
The Major League Baseball Play-
ersions Association filed three grievances and in the two cases decided, arbitrators found the owners guilty of conspiring not to sign free agents. Damages, whiche the union claims are over 100 million, have yet to be awarded.
Ueberroth steadfastly has maintained it was not collusion but rather "responsible spending."
"I have harped and beaten for good business practices because I didn't want to be blamed by them for their deficits because I'm not spending their money — they can spend their money anyway they please," he said.
"To the arguments of whether they acted in concert or not, they certainly didn't with me. I don't believe there is any way they went into a room and made an agreement in any way, shape or form. But that's not to criticize an arbitrator. He makes his decision based on facts and the union side organized their facts very effectively."
Uberroth said the record spending on such players as Orel Hershiser, Dwight Gooden and Roger Clemens
"They're good at spending money before they have it," Ueberroth said of the owners.
and the increased free agent activity was a result of the TV deals.
Ueberroth said he was surprised by some of the contracts this winter.
"In many cases, they're spending in a very unusual way that I haven't seen in any other business. When they have an arbitration and they have a high offer and a low offer and a low offer and a high offer, that's a new phenomenon in economics to me. It doesn't make any sense at all."
Ueberroth is optimistic about the contract talks.
"In these past five years, we had three umple negotiation and one player negotiation," he said. "I think it's going to go better than people think. With a little careful management, players will only own the ball. Players will be paid more and the players baseball who are not paid very well, like scouts and other people in baseball, will be paid more fairly and still do OK."
Umpires not balking with rule change
The Associated Press
CLEARWATER, Fla. — The balk business is mighty slow this spring. In fact, it's come to a discernible and almost complete stop.
Imagine — no more umpires flapping their arms like big birds. No more players walking the bases, instead of running.
A rule change adopted last month has been the reason. Pitchers no longer must make a "discernible" throw, and they are already it made a difference.
This spring, there has been an average of one balk for every four games. Last spring, each exhibition game averaged more than two balks.
"It seems to have settled down," said Steve Bedrosian, a relief pitcher with the Philadelphia Philias. "It's
not like last year. They were trying to make a point last season. It has slacked off."
The increased scrutiny in 1988 resulted in 924 balks, which shattered the record of 356 set in 1987. Everyone knew that much of pitchers had gotten away for years without pausing, but enough was enough.
So, this year the rule is back to where it was in 1987.
"Last year, the umpires were calling everything," said Rich Garcia, an American League umpire. "Now, they're not. The rule said that if there was a play, he could pitcher stopped, it had to be a balk. This year, it's a judgment call."
Garcia has called one balk in four games this spring.
way I did last season," said Garcia. "But the pitchers are stopping."
Last spring training, Garcia and his crew called nine balks in just one game against Texas' Charlie Hough.
The Rangers committed 57 balks last season, second-highest in history. This spring, they've been called for only one.
"I'm looking for them the same
"I do agree that at times last year, it was ridiculous to call a balk," Garcia said. "But sometimes, you think things like that to make your point."
By the end of last season, the balk rate had dropped by more than half. Umpires said that they still called pitches but that pitchers had learned to stop.
This spring, most of the balks have been called on rookies. But umpire
Bruce Freeming took two against veteran Montreal pitcher Pitre Heaton, which resulted in the kind of balk that became commonplace last year.
This season, the number of balks certainly will drop. But no one is sure by how much.
"The umpires who have always called balks will still call them."
Eric Gregg, a National League umpire, said the rule change would have different effects on different people.
"It'll take a while to feel out the crews and see who calls them," Bedesrian said. "It sure affected the way a lot of guys pitched. You had to worry about it, and you still have to learn to cope until you see how it works out."
Boxing championship more than just a fight
The Associated Press
LAS VEGAS — Michael Dokes is minus a drug habit and looking for another title.
The former World Boxing Association heavyweight champion faces unbeaten Evander Hollyfield tomorrow in a fight critical of his team, continuing an improbable comeback from cocaine addiction.
Dokes is a big underdog in the scheduled 12-round fight. But after beating cocaine in his toughest case to date, he is used to the role.
going to be victorious," he said. "This will be the comeback of a lifetime. They'll be making movies about this."
"I know, I feel and I believe I'm
Dokes has won all eight of his fights against mostly journeyman opposition in a comeback that began in December 1887 when he stopped K.P. Porter in five rounds at New York.
Tomorrow, however, Dokes will move up a step in class when he takes on Hollyfield, who most boxing observers consider the challenger who stands a chance against champion Mike Tyson.
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