Padres Use the Rain to Talk of Goose’s Immediate Future

While raindrops fell Friday night, San Diego Padre players were inside having a serious chat with Don Fehr, director of the Major League Players Assn.

Fehr came to tell them what he knew of the Goose Gossage situation and wanted to know their concerns. Mainly, the players wanted to know when Gossage--who criticized the Padre front office and was suspended without pay for the rest of the season on Aug. 29--would be back.Fehr told them an arbitrator probably wouldn’t render a decision until mid-September.

Later, Fehr said to reporters: “I’ve been a lawyer long enough to know nothing is 100% certain, but all I can tell you is that I believe we have a very strong case. I think we should win it, and I think we will win it. I’m usually right. Not always, but usually.”

Theoretically, the Gossage case could be settled as soon as Monday. Step 2 in any baseball grievance is a meeting between the players’ association and the Player Relations Committee. So, on Monday, they will meet and try to reach resolution.

But, Fehr said: “I don’t know if it (a solution) is likely. It would be certainly difficult to do that if it involved any significant amounts of money paid by Gossage.”

Fehr talked a lot Friday.

--On what he has told Gossage: “My advice to Goose has been that the whole thing is preposterous.”

--On Gossage’s criticism of Padre president Ballard Smith and owner Joan Kroc: “When you suspend somebody for the rest of the season for taking a remark to the press and levy a penalty of that amount . . . it doesn’t have anything to do with what you said. It doesn’t have anything to do with how you said it. It has to do with trying to say, ‘I’m the boss, and I’m going to show you and teach you.’ ” . . . Did you know a suspension of that magnitude is only six days short of what the guys in the KC drug case had (45 days), and they went to jail. Does anyone in their right mind pretend this is remotely related to that magnitude? What’s going on here?”

--On past player-management rifts: “Think back a minute. If you could get access to old newspapers, go read what the guys on the A’s used to say back and fourth about Charlie Finley when they won five divisions in a row. Go read Graig’s (Nettles) book or anyone else’s book about the Yankees. I think I’m right to say that Billy Martin got fired and reminded everybody that George (Steinbrenner) was a felon. And he still got paid, right?

“Nobody in their right mind thinks this would’ve happened if he (Gossage) still had been with the Yankees. George takes it. Why? George understands it’s all publicity, and he gives (criticism) as good as he gets it. George has pretty thick skin. You have to if you’re doing this job.”

--On why players are upset over this issue: “They’re upset over both leagues. They (the players) are saying: ‘What if I do something like Goose? Will they suspend me?’ ”

With Friday’s rainout, the Padres and Mets will play a doubleheader Sunday, with the first game starting at 1 p.m.

Met first baseman Keith Hernandez was telling some people Friday: “I want to win the World Series at home, right here at Shea.”

A Shea Stadium security policeman overheard and said: “No, you don’t. I don’t need that hassle. The fans will tear this place apart.”

Padre pitcher Ed Whitson, who received death threats when he played in New York earlier this season and consequently is afraid to go on the field here, was given a hand-made gun target by his teammates to tape onto his uniform.