Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, January 17, 1995 TAG: 9501180031
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: CARACAS, VENEZUELA LENGTH: Medium
``The players support the union 100 percent,'' Chicago White Sox shortstop Ozzie Guillen said after about 50 players met with Fehr. ``The union is very strong, and we're not going to be the ones that cause [the strike] to fail. We're standing firm. We know what we're going to do.''
Minor leaguers added to 40-man rosters last November, who might see this as their chance to enter the majors, sided with the union, according to Cleveland Indians pitcher Dennis Martinez, a Nicaraguan who is part of the union's negotiating team.
``These players have not made much money. They have the most to lose, and yet they are offering us their support,'' Martinez said. ``That gives us strength to keep on fighting.''
But Guillen acknowledged that convincing those who did not attend the meeting may be a problem.
Dionisio Acosta, president of the Venezuelan Baseball Association, said his organization formally supports the U.S. association.
Houston Astros pitcher Rick Huisman, a minor leaguer who plays for a Venezuelan team, said some players were momentarily willing to put aside their major-league ambitions for the sake of the players' cause.
``When I look at what [the major leaguers] have to sacrifice, what we have have to sacrifice seem pretty minute,'' he said.
Fehr, who is scheduled to fly to the Dominican Republic on Wednesday for the final stop on his eight-city tour, said owners' attempts at starting the season with replacements ``is just an attempt to scare the players into abandoning their principles.''
``The quality of the players is going to be below the Single-A minor-league level,'' he said. ``If they try to pass it as major league, I think most people will consider it to be what we in the States call consumer fraud.''
by CNB