Players Are Close to Setting Strike Date

Baseball players are likely to set a strike date for later this month or early September when their executive board meets Monday in Chicago, two lawyers familiar with the union’s deliberations said.

“If we don’t make a deal by Monday, then we will probably be forced to act, but it’s not inevitable,” Arizona player representative Craig Counsell said Friday.

“I think sometimes unless you set a deadline, things don’t get done,” Florida’s Mike Lowell said. “The irony is that setting a strike date might avoid a strike.”

Union head Donald Fehr said it was too early to determine what action would be taken by the board, which includes two representatives of each team plus two players representing each league.

“It depends on what happens over the weekend,” Fehr said. “We will go through all the options with the players, and the players will decide what they need to do.”

While it’s possible the players might pick a range of dates for a strike, they probably will pick only one date, the two lawyers said, speaking on condition they not be identified.

On July 28, 1994, the executive board set a strike date for Aug. 12. The walkout lasted 232 days, ending only after a federal judge issued an injunction restoring the work rules of the expired contract.

This time, players have seemed reluctant to set a deadline that could trigger the sport’s ninth work stoppage since 1972. However, they would rather set a date than take the chance of being locked out following the World Series.

“We’ve pushed this back as far as we could as far as setting a date,” Arizona pitcher Mike Myers said. “We could have earlier in the summer and we chose not to. Now we’ve decided that Monday is going to be the day.”

Negotiators from both sides have repeatedly expressed optimism in the talks, but the sides have avoided discussing the most difficult economic issues, preferring to make progress on lesser topics.

“I remain cautiously optimistic about our ability to reach an agreement in the near future,” Rob Manfred, the owner’s top labor lawyer said. Asked when, he replied: “I don’t want to talk about specific dates.”

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Veteran infielder Delino DeShields was put on waivers by the Chicago Cubs for the purpose of giving him his unconditional release.

Chicago purchased the contract of right-handed reliever Will Cunnane from triple-A Iowa.

DeShields, a former Dodger in his 13th big league season, was the Cubs’ opening day starter at second base. In 67 games this year, he batted .192 with three homers, 10 RBIs and 10 steals.

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Infielder Jose Vizcaino and the Houston Astros agreed to a $2 million, one-year contract extension for 2003, a raise of $300,000.

Vizcaino, 34, began Friday with a .290 average, one homer and 17 RBIs. He hit .277 last season with one homer and 14 RBIs, his first season with the Astros after playing for the New York Yankees as they won the World Series in 2000.

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Right-hander Aaron Cook, one of the Colorado Rockies’ top prospects, was recalled from triple-A Colorado Springs.

Cook, 23, takes the roster spot left open by reliever Rick White, who was designated for assignment on Thursday.

Cook was 4-4 with a 3.78 earned-run average in 10 starts at Colorado Springs.