Vincent Stops Coup by Owners : Baseball: Commissioner acts quickly to show his refusal to reduce his authority in labor negotiations.

In the wake of an attack by some owners that amounted to a failed palace coup, baseball Commissioner Fay Vincent moved quickly with fierce determination and defiance to reaffirm the sweeping powers of his office. He sent baseball owners home from a contentious three-day meeting with an admonition that they have “no chance” to overcome the grave problems of the game “without cohesiveness and unity.”

In addition, Vincent reiterated to them he has no intention of reducing his authority in any upcoming labor negotiations, as was requested by a rebel faction of the Player Relations Committee.

“I know my role,” Vincent said. “I also know I have authority and I am not going to surrender it under my commissionership.”

Vincent said owners generally reacted with approval to his comments, based on casual remarks made by some of them to him after what was a joint meeting of the major-league owners.

“It certainly was not visibly negative,” Vincent said of the reaction.

Brewer owner Bud Selig, one of the PRC members who led the attempt to diminish the commissioner’s authority, confirmed that the meeting provided conciliation between the opposing camps of owners.

“I would say that’s a fair assessment,” Selig said. “I wouldn’t want to make any (further) comment on it for a couple of days. The problems were very well stated.”

Deputy Commissioner Steve Greenberg called Vincent’s remarks to the owners “powerful, dignified and on the mark.” Greenberg said the meetings ended amid optimism and goodwill, though he admitted, “I would not have said that (Wednesday).”

On Wednesday, the power play by some owners, most notably Selig and Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf, ignited conflict and even anger among the owners. The rebel faction wanted Vincent to sign away full authority in labor negotiations to the PRC and its president, Richard Ravitch.

Selig said that he did not believe the failure of that attempt will undermine the combined efforts of the commissioner’s office and the PRC in negotiating with the players association.

“I do not,” he said. “What happened on June 10 will not be an impediment to Dick Ravitch being able to handle things successfully in the future.”

Vincent was not as certain. When asked to respond to the same question, he replied, “I can’t answer that. I certainly hope not. I have no way of measuring that.”

He added later, “I don’t think it was personal. There is in baseball a concern about the commissioner’s role in labor. Some of them are concerned the commissioner will do something out of the blue, like a bolt of lightning in the night, that could disrupt labor negotiations. “I can tell you, as I told the owners, I do not function that way. Their concern is that there is that potential. . . . We can function together. I have no problem with doing that.”

Vincent expressed no regret about the unseemly Wednesday meeting, likening it to the restorative powers of “fresh air.” He added, “It may even serve as a disinfectant.”

In summarizing his speech to the owners, Vincent said, “The tenor of my talk was that they are in serious adversity, some of it their own doing and some of it not. Baseball has no chance without cohesiveness and unity. And baseball ownership has the most at stake.”

The profile of that ownership changed dramatically yesterday with the formal and near-unanimous approval of the sale of the Mariners to a Seattle group that is largely backed financially by a Japanese corporation, Nintendo. Cleveland cast the lone dissenting vote.

While the Mariners were assured of remaining in Seattle, Vincent gave permission to the San Francisco Giants “to consider all options . . . including relocation” in their efforts to find a new stadium. Vincent, who has vigorously discouraged the moving of franchises, said the Giants meet all of baseball’s criteria to consider relocation.