There has been some confusion this spring about who is and who is not a replacement player, but -- for the moment -- the definition is reasonably clear-cut. The term replacement player refers to someone who has signed a contract to play in the major leagues during the players strike. That does not include players who are in camp under minor-league contracts.
Rules drafted by baseball's Executive Council allow for each team to assemble a squad of 32 replacements, 25 in uniform for each game and seven in reserve. There are no disabled lists and no waiver lists. Replacement players can be traded, sent to the minors and assigned to a commissioner's office talent pool at the will of the clubs.
The standard replacement contract calls for an annual salary of $115,000, a signing bonus of $5,000 (payable April 16) and termination pay of $20,000. Teams may sign up to three players with at least three years of major-league experience to premium contracts worth up to $275,000. There are no guaranteed contracts and no performance bonuses.
Some U.S. players under minor-league contracts could be pushed to play in exhibition games alongside replacements, which would create a second tier of "undesignated" replacement players. The Major League Baseball Players Association has announced that it will consider minor-league players who play with replacements as strikebreakers.
Non-U.S. citizens with visas to play in the minor leagues are forbidden by federal statute from performing as replacements. However, they can appear in minor-league spring games if admission is not charged.
Clubs have tried to keep the names of their replacements secret, so that some of those players can be assimilated into the minor-league system if the strike is settled before they are needed. The Texas Rangers, for instance, have only one known replacement -- pitcher Jackie Davidson -- but have acknowledged signing at least 14 players to replacement contracts.
The Orioles have refused to sign replacement players or field a replacement team. They also have informed opposing clubs that they will not participate in any games in which replacement players are used.