SARASOTA, Fla. -- Jeff Huson, a former infielder with the Texas Rangers and now in camp with the Orioles, has many friends who are on strike. He also has friends, other minor-leaguers in other camps, who are being forced by the owners and the union to choose sides.
With all this running through his mind, Huson, 30, stood up before Saturday's workout and told the other Orioles minor-leaguers they should realize how lucky they are. We have an owner, Huson said, referring to Peter Angelos, who is taking the pressure off us. We don't have to make choices. We can just play.
"When the strike is over," Huson said, "there won't be any questions in the Orioles organization, in Rochester or at Frederick, about who was a scab, who crossed the union and who didn't. There won't be any of that.
"Next to a settlement, we're in the best possible situation we can be in."
Great for the minor-leaguers, and eventually, for the striking major-leaguers. But a solitary stand for the organization.
Letters from five more clubs, asking for clarification on the Orioles' policy regarding replacement players, arrived by fax at the Twin Lakes Park complex. In all, 10 of the 12 clubs on the Orioles' spring schedule have contacted general manager Roland Hemond (Hemond wouldn't name the two other clubs).
The Orioles are expected to respond today with a letter reaffirming the club's policy against participating in exhibitions that include replacement players. The Orioles would participate in exhibition games played for an admission fee, as long as the games include only minor-leaguers.
Orioles officials expect the other teams to respond by immediately canceling their spring games with the Orioles.
Assuming that happens, club sources say the team will play intrasquad games between minor-leaguers at Al Lang Stadium free of charge. The Orioles, one source indicated, will attempt to arrange compensation for the city of St. Petersburg to keep their scheduled dates.
Huson didn't know that the Orioles' exhibition schedule may be wiped out until a reporter told him of the letters being sent by other teams. "That is sweet," Huson said. "That is the best situation you can be in, short of having a regular spring training [with major-leaguers].
"We were talking about it [some games being canceled] today -- hey, we'll just play intrasquad games. We'll get our four at-bats, we'll play nine innings every day. It's better than going out and playing against some Joe Slob from 7-Eleven back home that came down and is trying to pitch. It's so much better."
Conversely, minor-leaguers in many other camps -- like that of the Texas Rangers, where minor-leaguers are being told to play in replacement games or go home -- are in a quandary.
"As bad a situation as you can be in," Huson said. "If you had been in the big leagues a little bit, you might have some clout in this situation. But imagine the guy who's been in A-ball for two years, and maybe could play Double-A this year. He's thinking, 'Well, I hope I make it to the big leagues and I don't want to make management mad.' And at the same time if you ever make it, the union is one of the best things going in the big leagues. It's a fine line.
"This is not a pretty thing going on in baseball. This is an ugly war."
Huson and a few other players plan to drive to a union meeting for minor-leaguers tonight in Tampa, and basically will serve as conduits for other Orioles minor-leaguers, bringing back news.
But Huson has delivered one message to his younger camp mates: Enjoy this. You have the best of all worlds in a rotten time.