After so many bitter exchanges and so long with no agreement, an optimist would seem gullible in gauging the status of baseball labor talks.
But Cubs player representative Scott Servais forgot caution in a happy report to his teammates before Saturday night’s game. After taking part in a conference call, he advised his teammates that union boss Don Fehr had said progress had been made and that a settlement could be in the works.
“For the first time in a long time,” Servais said, “there are some positives and a little optimism. (Union leaders) feel that for the first time there has been progress and it could lead to something in the near future.
“That’s awfully good to hear, because we haven’t heard it in a long time. No timetable or anything. But it sounds like things are moving in the right direction.”
Sock it to him: Some players keep home run milestones or base hit mementos. Servais, on the other hand, has a different kind of record-setting ball sitting in his locker in Montreal. The Cubs catcher was plunked Friday night for the 13th time this season, eclipsing the team record of 12 set in 1966 by Adolfo Phillips.
It didn’t hurt as much since he was hit in an eighth inning that accounted for three runs in the Cubs’ 11-9 victory. The ball that got him is now a treasured souvenir–and covered with Band-Aids.
Status quo: Don’t expect drastic lineup changes when the Cubs can expand their roster to 40 players in September by adding minor-leaguers. One problem confronting manager Jim Riggleman is that so many potential additions are left-handed bats, such as first baseman Brant Brown and outfielders Robin Jennings, Brooks Kieschnick and Pedro Valdes.
“September’s not a good time to evaluate players anywhere,” Riggleman said. “Those four guys all had a little taste of (the majors) earlier this year when they were with us.
“I really think it’s unethical to play a lineup that’s inexperienced even if you’re only playing other teams who are in a race. The whole concept of a 40-man roster is kind of ridiculous to me.
More Top Picks Treadmills
“After playing all year with a 25-man roster, why would you want to suddenly change your strategy? If a manager wanted to, say he had four catchers, he could keep pinch-running and pinch-hitting right to the end. Or keep running in a left-handed pitcher for every left-handed batter.”
Dead ball: Domed and doomed were sounding awfully similar to the Cubs before they finally won Friday in a domed stadium for the first time this year in seven games, four at Montreal and three in Houston. The blah feeling that emanates from playing inside dreadful Olympic Stadium can be a downer for visiting offenses if they aren’t prepared for the change from a higher-energy level that comes from baseball in outside venues.
“It’s just a strange atmosphere,” center-fielder Brian McRae said. “You’re doing something you don’t normally do. And the depth perception is tougher.”
Homer-happy: The Cubs are on a pace to surpass 180 homers for only the third time in their 120-year National League history. They also did it with 182 in 1958 and 209 in 1987. Sammy Sosa’s exceptional season is a big part of this year’s surge, but so are the unexpected homers from Ryne Sandberg.