ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, October 4, 1996 TAG: 9610040039
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: NEW YORK
SOURCE: Associated Press
Baseball umpires, insisting ``there's no room for compromise,'' said they will strike today because of Roberto Alomar's continued presence in the playoffs.
``We are walking out after the last game tonight,'' umpires union head Richie Phillips said Thursday by telephone from his Philadelphia office.
Lawyers for the umpires and baseball owners are to appear today in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia, where the American and National leagues have asked for an injunction that would prevent yet another baseball walkout.
U.S. District Judge Edmund Ludwig, who was assigned the case Tuesday, was attempting to work out a deal by telephone Thursday, Phillips said. Another person involved in the case said there were negotiations among owners, umpires and the players' association.
``We're not making any progress toward a settlement, any progress whatsoever,'' Phillips said. ``There's no room for compromise. They could offer us everything in the world, and they've offered us a lot, and there's nothing that would change our stance.''
Two games are scheduled for today, with Baltimore playing Cleveland in the late afternoon and the New York Yankees at Texas in the evening. Replacement umpires will be on standby in case the regulars refuse to work.
Acting commissioner Bud Selig and American League president Gene Budig planned to join baseball's lawyers in court on today. Selig did not return a call for comment.
Alomar, Baltimore's All-Star second baseman, spit on umpire John Hirschbeck last week in Toronto, and Budig suspended him for five games. Under baseball precedent, the suspension will be served at the start of next season.
``They make a distinction between the two,'' said NL umpire Jerry Crawford, the president of the umpires' union. ``A game is a game no matter when you play it.''
Umpires want Alomar suspended immediately and had hoped Budig would use the player's appeal of the penalty as an opening to increase the penalty. But Alomar withdrew the appeal Wednesday night after being assured the suspension will be served next season.
``What has happened is an unhappy situation for all concerned,'' said Orioles owner Peter Angelos, a labor lawyer. ``Alomar has clearly made an apology which is very sincere and very heartfelt and I feel that to continue this controversy in this fashion makes the position of all those involved more unfortunate and serves no constructive purpose.''
Baseball officials contend they can't suspend Alomar for the postseason because of their agreements with the players' association.
Player's union head Donald Fehr criticized the umpires on Wednesday, saying they should continue to work games and honor their contract, which contains a no-strike clause.
``Don has a duty to represent the players,'' Phillips said. ``I expect them to defend Alomar. They often [defend] the indefensible, so it comes as no surprise to me.''
LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. Marty Prather of Springfield, Mo., pleads his caseby CNBby displaying a sign at the Padres-Cardinals game in St. Louis.