Baseball CEO may hear strike talks
NEW YORK, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- With players prepared to strike after Thursday night's games, Commissioner Bud Selig is expected to arrive Wednesday in New York.
It is uncertain if Selig will join the labor talks, but he may be the most pivotal figure in convincing baseball's hard-line owners to broker a deal with the union.
However, the chief negotiator for Major League Baseball, Rob Manfred, downplayed Selig's arrival and did not indicate the commissioner would take an active role in talks.
"What he is going to do in the room or out of the room is up to him," Manfred said. "He'll make that decision based on circumstances that exist at the time. I think people's expectations with respect to the commissioner's involvement in these talks are misguided. He is the CEO of baseball and it is a rare event when a CEO gets involved in a labor negotiation."
Some teams have changed travel plans to avoid flying players to cities where games might be canceled. The Chicago White Sox scrapped their charter to Detroit, and Boston will delay its flight to Cleveland until Friday.
Representatives for the players and owners met twice Tuesday to discuss the two key issues -- a possible luxury tax on team payrolls and revenue sharing. Manfred said the sides did not exchange any proposals, but instead discussed the ideas conceptually.
Friday's stoppage would be the sport's ninth in 30 years.
When the union agreed to set Friday as a strike date, it set in motion a chain of events that could result in the cancellation of the rest of the season for the second time in nine years.
Both sides remain divided on several substantive issues. The linchpin of the potential deal involves a proposed luxury tax on team payrolls. The owners' latest proposal calls for a tax of between 35 and 50 percent on payrolls over $107 million, with additional penalties imposed on repeat offenders.
The union has countered with a sliding scale tax that begins at 15 percent and could climb to 40 percent for repeat offenders in the third year of a four-year deal. But the union's scenario has teams being taxed on payrolls over $125 million in 2003 and increasing $10 million each season. The players also have eliminated the tax in the fourth and final year of their proposal.
The sides also differ on revenue sharing, an area in which owners have called for $263 million to be transferred in each year of the pact. The players again would like to deal in increments, beginning with just over $170 million in 2003 and increasing about $25 million per season.
The sides also need to finalize a steroid and drug testing policy, an issue that could prove to be a sticking point. How often players are tested and whether or not test results would be announced remain points of contention.
It was reported that a steroids agreement was reached on Tuesday, but neither side announced the agreement.
The one team that figures to be impacted most by a new agreement is the defending American League champion New York Yankees. It is the lone team that would be penalized under both the revenue sharing and luxury tax proposals.
Six other teams, including the Boston Red Sox and the reigning world champion Arizona Diamondbacks, have payrolls in excess of $100 million, according to management standards.
The sides have been able to agree on a number of relatively minor issues, such as minimum salaries and players' rehabilitation rights. Parameters also have been put in place for a worldwide player draft.
A growing majority of baseball fans has voiced its displeasure about the situation and has vowed not to return to ball parks if there is a strike. Signs to that effect have been seen at major league stadiums since the Aug. 30 strike date was set by the players.
Paul Lo Duca, catcher of the Los Angeles Dodgers and is the team's player representative, said that being involved in the process has been sobering but has not had an impact in the way he plays the game.
"If I had it to do over again, I would have approached it differently," said Lo Duca, who has been a player rep the last two years. "I didn't know what to expect. I didn't know what to do. I was young and I hadn't ever been through this. I think it's important that I participate and I don't think it's taken away from my play, but it has been more than I was prepared for. I'm struggling to get (big) hits, but that's no excuse."
Bargaining sessions are set throughout the week, but the history of labor unrest between the parties almost assures that differences will go unresolved and negotiations will continue right up to Friday's deadline of 1 p.m. Eastern time.
Indians recall P Jaret Wright
CLEVELAND, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- The Cleveland Indians Wednesday recalled pitcher Jaret Wright from Triple-A Buffalo of the International League and announced the righthander will start Friday's game in Boston.
Wright, who started Game Seven of the 1997 World Series against Florida, was 0-2 with a 16.62 ERA in three starts for the Indians this season and was demoted to the minor leagues earlier this month. Last September, he had surgery to remove part of his clavicle and unhealthy tissue. He spent the first half of this season rehabbing from the injury.
In his latest stint with Buffalo, Wright was 2-2 with a 3.52 ERA in four starts.
The Indians also placed righthander Jason Phillips on the 15-day disabled list with inflammation in his right elbow. In eight appearances with the Indians, Phillips was 1-3 with a 4.97 ERA.
Lame shoulder ends McNown's season
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Quarterback Cade McNown, who has known his share of adversity as a pro, will undergo shoulder surgery in the near future. It's the same shoulder he injured in his rookie season in Chicago.
Because of the ailment, he will miss the 2002 campaign and be placed on injured reserve.
The announcement was made late Tuesday by General Manager Terry Donahue. McNown had been acquired from the Miami Dolphins in June.
He was a first-round pick by the Chicago Bears in 1999, but was never a fan favorite in the Windy City. He was dealt to the San Francisco 49ers for a conditional seventh-round choice in 2003.
The 12th overall pick by the Bears in 1999 started 25 games during two horrific seasons in Chicago, completing 281 of 515 passes for 3,111 yards with 16 touchdowns and 19 interceptions.
According to an article in the Contra Costa Times, McNown was damaged goods when the Niners got him. Donahue said the A-C (acromioclavicular) joint in McNown's left, or throwing, shoulder needs to be repaired.
"It would have been nice to have him compete for the quarterback job and be able to help our team, but it just didn't work out," Donahue said. "It became very evident in training camp that his arm just isn't functioning right, and he's got to get it fixed if he expects to continue with his career in the National Football League. He had no option. He really wants to get this (surgery) done."
Donahue said McNown may need two operations, but expects he will be healthy enough for training camp in 2003.
"He's relieved he's going to get his shoulder fixed, and he's very anxious to get on with it," Donahue said. "He's been very frustrated with his inability to throw the ball the way he should."
The team has also waived kick returner Vinny Sutherland, who was beaten out by Jimmy Williams and wasn't a good enough pass receiver to make the cut.
The 49ers play their last exhibition game at home Wednesday night against San Diego, and open the regular season Thursday, Sept. 5, when they host the New York Giants.
RB Carter dumped by Green Bay
GREEN BAY, Wis., Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Running back Ki-Jana Carter, who NFL career has been short-circuited by knee injuries, has been released by the Green Bay Packers.
Carter, who was an ALL-American while in college, was trying to stick with the Packers after playing for the Washington Redskins in 2001.
Unfortunately, he turned out to be one of the team's biggest preseason disappointments. He had been slated to be the primary backup to starter Ahman Green, but also had competition from free agent Jason Brookins as well as Rondell Mealey and rookie free agent Tony Fisher. He also missed the preseason opener against Arizona with a sore Achilles tendon and reported to training camp overweight.
He did not play in Monday night's 27-20 win over the Cleveland Browns.
"I'm not going to point my finger at anybody," Carter was quoted as saying by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. "I don't know what I did wrong, if I did anything wrong. I've never been told anything."
Carter, 28, signed for one year at $525,000, with no signing bonus, on June 14. He rushed for 308 yards on 63 carries, a 4.9-yard average with Washington last season as a backup to Stephen Davis. The 5-10, 222-pounder out of Penn State also caught 13 passes for 83 yards.
Carter, the first overall pick in the 1995 draft, played in just 49 games because of an assortment of injuries, rushing for 1,055 yards and 19 touchdowns on 290 carries.
He spent his rookie season on injured reserve after suffering a torn knee ligament in the preseason. He returned to play in all 16 games for the Cincinnati Bengals in 1996 and in
15 games in 1997 before sitting out all but one contest in '98 after suffering a broken wrist in the season opener.
Carter played in three games in 1999 before being placed on injured reserve in September with a dislocated kneecap. He also missed the entire 2000 season.
Carter signed with the Redskins as a free agent last August. His most productive season came in 1997 when he rushed for 464 yards and seven touchdowns on 128 carries.
Cardinals lose OL Clement for season
PHOENIX, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- The offensive line of the Arizona Cardinals suffered a major blow Tuesday when it was announced starting right tackle Anthony Clement will miss upcoming season with a torn triceps tendon.
Clement suffered the injury Saturday in an exhibition game against the Denver Broncos. He will undergo surgery in the near future and his rehabilitation is expected to take eight to 12 months.
The diagnosis was made by the team's orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Russell Chick, who examined the injury late Tuesday.
"I'd throw up if I had anything left in my stomach," said Coach Dave McGinnis. "He was having a good training camp and was on his way to having a great season."
The second-round pick in 1998 has been a workhorse for the Cardinals, starting his last 45 games. Last season, the 6-8, 350-pounder was the only Cardinals lineman to start every game. He re-signed with the club in March, agreeing to a five-year deal worth $15 million, including a $3 million signing bonus, according to the Arizona Republic.
"It's not really frustrating," Clement said. "It hurts, more than anything. "I went through a lot of preparation just to find out that, (expletive), I could be done."
With Clement sidelined, the Cardinals are likely to use Leonard Davis, last season's first-round pick, at the position.
Jets DB suffers fractured thumb
NEW YORK, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- The New York Jets were hoping to get encouraging news on the status of veteran defensive back Sam Garnes, who sustained a fractured left thumb in practice Tuesday.
Garnes, late of the New York Giants and entering his sixth season out of the University of Cincinnati, was slated to be examined Wednesday by Dr. Ken Montgomery, a hand specialist. The Jets already have said that he will not play in Friday's preseason finale against the Philadelphia Eagles.
He was chosen by the Giants in the fifth round of the 1997 draft, 136th overall. He was released by New York on Feb. 28, 2002, and signed a free agent contract with the Jets on March 5.
In 74 career games, Garnes, who had been tabbed the Jets' starting strong safety, has 261 solo tackles, two fumble recoveries, and six interceptions.
Meanwhile, as expected, guard Dave Szott, who had major knee surgery in June, was placed on the team's reserve/physically-unable-to-perform list.
Szott signed with the Jets on March 21, 2002 as an unrestricted free agent. He sustained a tear of his right ACL Tuesday, May 28, in a non-contract drill, and underwent surgery to repair the knee on June 12 at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York.
Szott, a 6-4, 289-pounder from Penn State and native of Clifton, N.J., was to enter his 13th NFL season and his first with the Jets in 2002. He is a veteran of 158 regular season games and had started 152 of the contests. Additionally, he had valuable postseason experience, having played and started 10 games during his 12-year career.
He will be eligible to start practicing after the sixth regular season weekend. The Jets would then have a 21-day window to decide on whether to activate him.
Szott has said he believes he can be ready by November. He played with the Washington Redskins last season after playing for the Kansas City Chiefs for 10 years.
Bucs DE Jones out with knee injury
TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 28 (UPI) -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will have to do without their best pass-rusher, defensive end Marcus Jones, for as long as six weeks because of left knee surgery.
Jones was hurt in the first quarter of the Bucs' 40-10 preseason loss to the Washington Redskins on Aug. 24. The injury initially was diagnosed as a sprain, but tests taken after swelling subsided showed indicated the problem was worse.
Jones, who was hampered by shoulder problems last season, underwent arthroscopic surgery this week in Coral Gables, Fla. Team physician Dr. John Zvijac said he likely will need 4-6 weeks recovery time and will miss the first five regular season contests.
His spot on the line will be filled by fellow defensive end Greg Spires. The former Florida State star signed as a free agent earlier this year.
"I'm hungry and I just want to go out and help the team win and do whatever I can to take this team to another level," said Spires, who has five tackles and one sack in the preseason.
"(Greg) is a guy that has been closing in on competing for that position since Day One," said Coach Jon Gruden. "Right now, he's a starter and it's up to him to take advantage of this opportunity. Greg Spires is a good football player. He brings a lot of energy to that position and is a very physical guy."
The 6-1, 265-pounder was a third-round pick by the New England Patriots in 1998, and played for the Cleveland Browns last year. He is entering his fifth pro campaign in 2002, and had played in 31 of the last 32 regular-season games.
Reds put OF Kearns on DL
CINCINNATI, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- The Cincinnati Reds have placed rookie outfielder Austin Kearns on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring.
The injury could be season-ending, said Reds Medical Director Dr. Tim Kremchek.
"Of all the guys we've had with hamstrings," he said, "he's the first one I had to put on crutches. He couldn't walk. He was in a lot of pain."
Kearns suffered the injury in the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals while running out a ground ball in the fifth inning.
Prior to getting injured, Kearns extended his hitting streak to a season-high 13 games with an RBI single in the second.
Kearns leads the Reds with a .314 batting average, and has 13 homers and 57 RBI in 107 games.
The Reds replaced Kearns on the roster with outfielder Jose Guillen, who signed a minor-league contract with Cincinnati after he was cut by the Colorado Rockies.
Guillen was hitting .310 with two home runs and eight RBI in seven games with Triple-A Louisville of the International League.
Guillen, who started the 2002 campaign with the reigning world champion Arizona Diamondbacks, has played 583 games in the major leagues. His best seasons were with the Pittsburgh Pirates, batting .267 with 14 home runs and 70 RBI in 1997, and .267 with 14 homers and 84 RBI in 1998.
Dodgers' Cora day-to-day after concussion
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Alex Cora was released from Good Samaritan Hospital Tuesday afternoon after suffering a concussion in a frightening incident Monday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Cora was strapped to a gurney and taken, motionless from the infield, in an ambulance to the nearby hospital, after a frightening collision with Diamondbacks shortstop Tony Womack on a blown bunt play in the bottom of the ninth inning. Cora, 26, a native of Puerto Rico, remained hospitalized overnight.
When he was released Tuesday, Cora was able to move his extremities. He was kept in the hospital for overnight observation.
"I would say he had a moderate concussion, including a loss of consciousness, and he's still not feeling right," said Dr. Michael Mellman, team doctor. "It could be days to weeks to months, you never know. We'll see how he performs when he's put through his paces. His symptoms are not severe."
Jolbert Cabrera bunted through a pitch. Cora apparently anticipated the bunt would get down, because he took off for second base as the ball cross the plate.
The throw by Chad Moeller beat Cora to the bag and the Dodger slid head-first and high into Womack's knee, knocking himself out momentarily and throwing fans at Dodger Stadium, including Cora's pregnant wife, who was delirious for a short time, into an anxious silence.
"First of all, it was bad baserunning," Cora said. "I was going to be out whether I went back to first or to second, so I took a chance. One show said I was trying to knock the ball down. That wasn't it. It was like a delayed steal, and I got to the base late and I just jumped, reacted. It was a freak play. I thank God we're both all right."
"He has a sore upper back, but he's doing well," said Dodgers General Manager Dan Evans. "They took X-rays of the back, neck and head. The first 12-24 hours after a concussion are necessary to monitor the guy, but there's no reason to be concerned about anything else. He's fine, he's happy, he's OK. If there was fear about paralysis, that's not the case. He was out for approximately 30 to 45 seconds on the field. Our people did a great job of immobilizing him immediately."
Evans accompanied Cora to Good Samaritan Hospital. The injury was sobering for the Dodgers because Cora slugged a two-run homer off Arizona star Curt Schilling, a pair of singles and the walk in the ninth that led to the collision. He is batting .346 over his last 28 games, during which he has won back the starting shortstop job he lost to Cesar Izturis for a short time.
"Feet-first for now on," Cora said. "I'll try to be a little bit conscious about it."
"I think everybody took a deep breath," said Dodgers first baseman Eric Karros. "When it happens, you re-evaluate everything."
"We lost a baseball game, but the most important thing right now is to make sure that boy is OK," said Dodgers Manager Jim Tracy. "He and his wife are expecting a little baby, and when you see that, I think it really puts into perspective the importance of life versus the win or loss of a game. He is the heart and soul of our team."
Cora, a third-round draft pick in 1996, is hitting .307 with three homers and 21 RBI in 90 games. He was on the bench Tuesday night when the Dodgers beat Arizona, 6-1.
