Arrived at the ballpark early for the Cubs’ first spring training exhibition game in time to hear batting coach Billy Williams say, “We’re going to play some major-league baseball today.” A brief pause followed: “I guess this is major-league baseball. They’re wearing major-league uniforms.”
Often, in spring training games, especially during the first two weeks when the pitchers are struggling and not in shape, the caliber of play isn’t the best. As I took my seat and estimated the crowd at 2,500, it occurred to me this is what spring training was like 25 or 30 years ago. Plenty of seats were almost always available.
It seemed an unfortunate way for Jim Riggleman to launch his career as the Cubs’ manager.
Riggleman conceded the circumstances were not ideal for a debut.
I was surprised that 32 minor-league players, 15 with the Cubs and 17 with the Seattle Mariners, were on the field, ready to participate.
It had been my impression, from reading the news accounts, that just about all of the minor-leaguers had buckled under the pressure applied by the striking big-league players. If they played in these games, the regulars insisted, they would be branded as strikebreakers and would suffer severe consequences.
“From what I’ve heard, 15 is a typical number,” Riggelman observed. “I think some of the clubs took a stronger stance. There was no coercion here. We told our minor-leaguers they had to make that decision for themselves.”
Nobody knows if there will be reprisals.
“In my opinion, once the strike is over a lot of this will be forgotten,” observed broadcaster Ron Santo, the longtime Cubs star. “To me, it’s very wrong what the union has been doing, putting pressure on minor-league players. Most of them, probably 90 percent, won’t be members of the union; they won’t make it to the big leagues.”
Scott May, a right-handed pitcher who spent 12 years in the minors, generally concurred with Santo’s estimate.
“Ten percent may be a little high. It could be more like 5 percent,” May said.
May, 33, lives in Arlington Heights. He has been a player with four big-league organizations-Dodgers, Rangers, Brewers and Cubs. Combined, he only spent 48 days in the major leagues.
“It’s a sobering reality,” he said, “but it shows the low percentage of players who have long big-league careers. I cherish those 48 days. Even to get there for one day was an achievement.”
The Cubs signed May in December as a minor-league pitching coach.
But he is now on the active roster. He appeared in Friday’s opener against the Mariners. Afterward, he said he didn’t know how to describe himself-as a minor-league player or as a replacement player.
“I guess I’m both,” he said.
I told him he had to be one or the other.
“In that case, if I’m with the club on April 3 (when the Cubs are scheduled to open the regular National League season), then I will be a replacement player. But until then I don’t think anybody’s a replacement player.”
May predicted that the newspapers and television would portray the surrogates in as poor a light as possible.
“It’s unfortunate, but what they’re going to do is focus on bad plays, not good plays.”
Then he asked, “How many videos on sports bloopers are out there?”
I had no idea.
More Top Picks Best Magnifying Lamps For Macular Degeneration
“Dozens of them,” May declared. “And all those bloopers were made by major-league players, not replacement players.”
I asked if he attended the mass meeting of minor-league players at the Biltmore Hotel here last week when union officials advised them they would be considered strikebreakers if they played in spring training games.
“Yes, I did.”
Did he speak up?
“No,” May replied. “I just went to hear both sides.”
I told him I had heard it was a stormy meeting, that some of the minor-leaguers voiced strong objections and told the union officials they were off base.
“That’s true,” May said. “I don’t think these games are going to prolong the strike. If not having a World Series wasn’t enough to end the strike, why should some spring training exhibition games make any difference?”
Whatever, Friday’s opener had an appropriate beginning.
The first pitch thrown by each starting pitcher was a called strike.