Strike date likely coming on July 8th
From News Services
Published Jun 23, 2002
The executive board of baseball's players' association will meet July 8 in Milwaukee, the day before the All-Star Game, and is likely to name a strike date. To hear one of the senior player-representatives tell it, that strike date is not likely to be postponed to next season, as some have speculated.
"If we wait until the offseason or next year, [the owners] are going to get all their money. It takes away all our leverage," Diamondbacks pitcher Rick Helling said. "They're going to get all their gates from the season, and all their postseason television money. It defeats the purpose. That's the only reason we would strike during the season this year: To force them, by putting a financial burden on them, to negotiate."
If the strike date is postponed, "Not only are they going to have all their money," Helling said, "but there will be even less incentive for them to negotiate.
Helling, though he moved to the National League over the winter, remains the American League representative, since he is serving the second year of a two-year term that he began last season while with the Texas Rangers.
From News Services
Published Jun 23, 2002
The executive board of baseball's players' association will meet July 8 in Milwaukee, the day before the All-Star Game, and is likely to name a strike date. To hear one of the senior player-representatives tell it, that strike date is not likely to be postponed to next season, as some have speculated.
"If we wait until the offseason or next year, [the owners] are going to get all their money. It takes away all our leverage," Diamondbacks pitcher Rick Helling said. "They're going to get all their gates from the season, and all their postseason television money. It defeats the purpose. That's the only reason we would strike during the season this year: To force them, by putting a financial burden on them, to negotiate."
If the strike date is postponed, "Not only are they going to have all their money," Helling said, "but there will be even less incentive for them to negotiate.
Helling, though he moved to the National League over the winter, remains the American League representative, since he is serving the second year of a two-year term that he began last season while with the Texas Rangers.
