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MLB Enters All-Star Break With Distant Thunder of Possible Strike Growing Louder

Aired July 08, 2002 - 10:05   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Major League Baseball enters the All- Star break with the distant thunder of a possible strike growing ever louder. Our sports reporter Josie Karp -- Karp at the park. Josie Karp is in Milwaukee. That's where tomorrow's game is being played and the rest of the season very much in the air.

Josie, good morning.

JOSIE KARP, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

You know, the All-Star game is really supposed to be a celebration of everything that is good about the game of baseball, but there is a much different feel to this All-Star game that maybe some in the recent past. They are having home run derby. They are going to have the home run derby tonight, and then tomorrow, it will be the actual game. But much of the focus right now is about 75 miles away in Chicago, because that's where the executive board of the Major League Baseball Players Association is holding a meeting. They'll be talking about a lot of things.

But one subject that is going to be discussed is whether or not to set a strike date.

During the month of June, the Major League Baseball Player's Association, and also the owners held about 10 collective bargaining sessions, where they were trying to hammer out a new basic agreement. During those sessions both sides came away saying that not a lot of progress was made on any of the major economic issues of revenue sharing and a luxury tax, and that's why we're standing outside of this baseball park during this All-Star celebration, talking about the fact that maybe this season will not actually be able to see a world series, to see the postseason, because there is this potential strike now looming over baseball -- Daryn.

KAGAN: And, Josie, the other substory that is going on here is the actual town this is being played in, in Milwaukee. The baseball commissioner, this his town, that is his team, even though his daughter technically runs the team. A lot of players not happy about that. Can we expect that to hang over tomorrow night's All-Star Game?

KARP: I don't think any particular animosity towards Bud Selig is going to hang over this game. Earlier, a couple of months ago, one player talked about the fact that he would maybe boycott the All-Star Game if he was a selection. That was John Burka (ph), and he wasn't selected to play in this All-Star Game.

But in terms of in general, animosity, a sense of discomfort between owners and players, that's definitely something that should palpable today and tomorrow.

KAGAN: Thicker than the humidity there on a summer Midwest day. Josie Karp in Milwaukee, thank you so much.

LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: I hate to be the baseball basher.

KAGAN: But go on.

HARRIS: It's going to be this way every time around until they get a real commissioner.

KAGAN: They have a strong commissioner, and one of the things on the table is to make Bud Selig even a stronger commissioner, and he would control this revenue sharing.

HARRIS: But see, as long as he is connected at all, ownership or whatever, to another team, like the Brewers, it doesn't matter how much strength he's got, his instinct is still going to be protect the owners.

KAGAN: Of course the waters have gotten so murky, because now Major League Baseball is actually an owner, too. and that (ph) what they've done with the teams.

HARRIS: Yes, Montreal.

KAGAN: Yes, absolutely.

All right, let's continue this conversation with Hal Bodley of "USA Today." He is a senior sports editor -- writer for "USA Today." He's covering Major League Baseball quite a few years, since 1958, didn't want to say how many years there, but he's also a former baseball analyst for us here at CNN, and he joins us from Milwaukee, the site of tomorrow's night's game.

Hal, good, good to see you. Actually we can see you, but we can't hear you. Did we put a mike on, Hal?

HARRIS: Yes, there is a mike on his tie.

KAGAN: Want to try one more -- Hal, good morning, one more time, and see if we can get you up. All right, we're going to work on that microphone. Hal is going to have some great insight. We will bring him back.

Josie was speaking just fine.

HARRIS: That's right. Hal, don't go too far away.

KAGAN: Maybe it's a union issue.

HARRIS: Don't go there. Let's take a break and see... KAGAN: No, wait, Hal? Oh, great.

HARRIS: Don't you love live TV.

HAL BODLEY, "USA TODAY": I'm right here, seems like the old days.

KAGAN: Maybe they can fix the labor situation as easy as that in baseball. Wouldn't that be great, as easy as fixing your mic?

BODLEY: That would be really great. You know, what I started to say, Daryn, as I looked up in the sky, and there's not a cloud up there, yet everybody says there's a dark cloud hanging over the sport today.

KAGAN: You know that there is Hal. You know, that kind of groan you here across America are all of those baseball fans just rolling their eyes. Here we are again. In 94, the issues were player's salaries and revenue sharing. And here we are in 2002, the issues player's salaries and revenue sharing. It doesn't go away.

BODLEY: It just doesn't go away. There have been seven work stoppages since 1972. Of course the players meet today in Chicago to decide whether or not to set a strike date. I don't really think they will set a strike date if history prevails. It'll probably happen a little bit later, if in fact they do it.

But as I look at this situation, I think a strike would be devastating. It was devastating the last time, but it would be more dangerous this time, because I don't think the fans would come back, and the players and the owners have an awful lot to lose.

People ask me, will there be a strike? I don't think so. What are the ramifications of it? I don't think the fact that the players feel they have to strike to avoid implementation by the owners after the World Series is a big factor at all, because if you think back to 1994, the owners implement it. The National Relations Board said it was illegal, a judge ruled, and the strike was over, so the owners lost. So a strike means nothing.

KAGAN: Now you get that, I get that, the fans get that, but why can't these guys get this, on both sides?

BODLEY: Well, I think there is a lot of bitterness, a lot of mistrust. The owners don't want it give up their problems of trying to solve the economic situation if baseball, and the players don't want anything taken away.

KAGAN: Why can't baseball gets its act together like the NFL and the NBA?

BODLEY: I believe, Daryn, because the union in Major League baseball is the strongest union probably in the world of everything, not just sports. It is very, very powerful, and it just won't give an inch. The owners have never been able to crack the union. They've never been able to really negotiate anything with the union, and it continues today.

KAGAN: A couple issues that are on the table this time that weren't here the last time around. First of all, drug testing. A lot of talk about steroid use in baseball and the lack of testing. Is this something that we're going to see happen?

BODLEY: Well, as you may know, the steroid issue is being negotiated separately. But, yes, it is a very, very big issue. And in today's "USA Today," we had a poll saying where the majority of the players favored testing. We want to be sure they're not competing against a teammate who has an unequal advantage. I think it is a big issue, and ultimately, despite their opposition, the players will give in to some form of testing.

KAGAN: Does the poll say they favor testing or they're not afraid of testing. Like Sammy Sosa saying, I would be first in line for testing if the Player's Association goes ahead and approves it. They are kind of empty words it seems like to me.

BODLEY: I think it is. You have to read between the lines, and the definition is almost impossible.

KAGAN: The other issue that is out there is contraction. A couple teams that could go away. These communities fighting back. There are still 30 teams this season, but is that just a short-lived situation for Major League Baseball?

BODLEY: Well, as you probably know, an arbitrator is supposed to rule the 15th of this month on whether or not the owners had the right to announce contraction last year, whether or not they can do that without negotiating with the union. I think that's decision is going to have an awful lot to do with these negotiations and whether or not baseball will contract. If the union wins this case, then they have negotiate contraction, and I will bet you anything, there will be 30 teams next year.

KAGAN: That's a lot of jobs on the line and it all comes down to money on the end.

BODLEY: Money, money, money.

KAGAN: Yes, money, money, money.

Hal Bodley for "USA Today," enjoy your time in Milwaukee, always good to have you along.

BODLEY: Thank you.

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