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CNN Live At Daybreak

'Talk of CNN': Baseball Strike

Aired August 30, 2002 - 06:30   ET

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


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: So what's the beef in Major League Baseball? Nobody involved, players or owners, are looking at their last meal. With players' average salaries at more than $2 million and owners' revenues in the stratosphere, that's probably what has baseball fans more steamed than the expensive hot dogs at the ballpark.
Even the nation's No. 1 fan cries foul.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The baseball owners and the baseball players must understand that if there is a stoppage, a work stoppage, a lot of fans are going to be furious, and I am one. It is very important for these people to get together. They can make every excuse in the book not to reach an accord. It is bad for them not to reach an accord. They need to keep working.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: And as we've said, at last report, the two sides are still at the bargaining table. In fact, one member of the baseball owners' negotiating team says, "We will get it done." The two sides have been working all night long to avoid a 9th work stoppage since 1972.

The guys at Atlanta's Fox 97.1 are joining us with their take on this story -- Randy and Spiff, live on the line for this morning's "Talk of CNN."

And, guys, we understand that the biggest issue has been settled -- that of that luxury tax. They're just quibbling over little, tiny matters now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, I don't know, I don't know. There are other issues that you don't know about.

COSTELLO: Like what?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, first of all, all of the teams apparently -- and this is a big issue -- they don't want to just play the -- you know, Tampa Bay Devil Rays only. They don't want to play anyone else.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's one of the things. Another thing is that all of the baseball players would love to have the helmets that have the little plastic things that run down their mouth that holds two beer cans on there. So these are the things that you don't hear in the regular public issue. You know, you just don't hear that.

COSTELLO: You know, you really don't, and I don't know why. I don't know why we didn't discover that here at CNN.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know. But you know, this is really infuriating.

COSTELLO: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, because you know, I'm a huge, huge baseball fan, but I'm to the point of, you know, if they strike, hey, forget about it. You know, I'm -- you know, I'll just go to the Little League games -- those are fantastic -- or Minor League games as far as I'm concerned.

COSTELLO: You are not going to do that!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh!

COSTELLO: You're going to go back to the game, and you know it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's only because I get free tickets.

COSTELLO: Yes. Hey, seriously, though, even if baseball players do not strike, don't you still have a bad taste in your mouth?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It does make you kind of sick, doesn't it? I mean, when I start to think about it, I don't think I've paid for baseball tickets in years, because it's to the point now where all of the companies have the good tickets, so you've got to go to your company to get a good one.

COSTELLO: That's every sport, though.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, that's pretty much so. I don't know if you saw, there is an article in the "St. Louis Post-Dispatch" by Jeff Gordon (ph), and he mentioned some things that the fans should actually demand once the players and the owners get together. And he thinks that every stadium should have no fewer than 12,000 seats available for $10 or less, and that half of those seats should be ready the day of the game. It should be available at the gate on game day. I think that's a great idea.

COSTELLO: Yes, but it will never happen.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, aren't you Miss Optimistic!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, I tell you what, I'm glad you're not in the meeting.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No kidding! UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll tell you that, missy!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This thing would never get done!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Exactly!

COSTELLO: Well, what do you think about Bud Selig going down and just, like, observing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think that Bud Selig should go down. You know, I don't think he has done that great of a job as commissioner, in my opinion.

COSTELLO: OK, what about Donald Fehr? Has he done a good job?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, for the players.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think that he should throw out the first pitch, and then stay in for nine innings. That's what I think.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's right, take a few line drives right up the middle. But you know, I have no respect for those two. It seems like they are the ones that, you know, are causing part of the problems. They have been very stubborn on their sides.

COSTELLO: OK, Randy and Spiff, thank you very much for your team insights...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Play ball!

COSTELLO: ... on baseball this morning.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And thanks, Carol, for your optimism.

COSTELLO: Oh, no problem. You know, I'm a glass half-full kind of gal.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, you fan.

COSTELLO: OK. We'll check in with your next Friday. Bye, guys.

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