| | Associated Press
MIAMI -- There were few signs inside Pro Player Stadium that
broached the Cuban-American community's work stoppage. There were
even fewer protesters outside Florida's game against San Francisco.
So the Marlins didn't truly feel the effects of Tuesday's
protest until the 11th inning of their 6-4 loss to San Francisco.
That's when manager John Boles, out of position players, was
forced to pinch hit for a pitcher with another pitcher.
In a first for baseball, players and coaches around the majors skipped games, joining a work stoppage by Miami's Cuban-American community to protest Elian Gonzalez's removal from the home of his relatives.
"You've got to go with what you have," Marlins outfielder Cliff Floyd said. "You can't cry about it."
Tampa Bay's Jose Canseco was the most prominent player to sit out, joining six Florida Marlins, two San Francisco Giants, Mets
shortstop Rey Ordonez and Yankees pitcher Orlando Hernandez.
Several coaches also missed games.
Florida third baseman Mike Lowell, pitchers Alex Fernandez and
Vladimir Nunez -- all of Cuban descent -- decided to sit out. Dominican teammates Antonio Alfonseca, Jesus Sanchez and Danny
Bautista joined them in a show of support.
It significantly hurt the Marlins, who started the game with 19
players, including just four on the bench.
Florida ran out of bench options in the 11th, having to pinch
hit Brad Penny for Dan Miceli, essentially giving up an out when it needed a rally.
"It was a tough loss," Boles said. "These guys fought their
hearts out. Those guys were spent. We had guys cramping up. We gave
them everything we had.
"But there's no excuses."
Armando Rios doubled home Doug Mirabelli in the top of the
inning, leading the Giants to their fourth straight win. Mirabelli,
the only Giants catcher in uniform, snapped an 0-for-18 streak with
a single off Miceli (2-1) in the 11th.
Mark Gardner (2-1) pitched the final two innings for the win.
But much of the focus was on the boycott.
"It affected us big-time, but it affected them more," Giants
manager Dusty Baker said.
Baker advised right-hander Livan Hernandez and catcher Bobby
Estalella not to come to the ballpark, fearing for the safety of their family members who live in South Florida. Administrative coach Carlos Alfonso, another Cuban-American, also took the day off.
"You're talking about life and death situations that supersedes
baseball," Baker said. "A lot of us don't know the situation
unless you live in Miami or you're from Miami. It's sad that
politics have to go into baseball, but baseball is part of the
world."
The Giants were merely following the Marlins' lead.
Florida general manager Dave Dombrowski said any of the club's
front-office personnel, players and coaches wanting to support the
protest would be excused with pay for the day.
In addition to the players, third base coach Fredi Gonzalez,
infield coach Tony Taylor, bullpen catcher Luis Perez and assistant
equipment manager Javier Castro accepted the offer. So did
Cuban-American Hall of Famer Tony Perez, an assistant to
Dombrowski.
"I'm not saying what's right and wrong," Boles said. "The
organization is not making a value judgment; the organization is
merely being sensitive to its employees. If I didn't have to be
here, I wouldn't. I've got a lot of Cuban friends and I know how
deeply they feel about this."
Fernandez, Nunez, Sanchez, Alfonseca and the Hernandez brothers
all were not scheduled to play Tuesday regardless of the work
stoppage because it was not their turn to pitch.
The Mets, meanwhile, had to replace Ordonez and third base coach
Cookie Rojas. They arrived at Shea Stadium about 3½ hours before
gametime, met with general manager Steve Phillips and Bobby Valentine and left the park shortly thereafter, having decided to sit out.
The Mets backed the decision, and Phillips said both team
members would be paid.
"Baseball should not be a political forum, but they felt they
needed to support the community in which they live, and I support
their decision," Phillips said.
Ordonez and Rojas were both born in Cuba and live in Florida
during the offseason.
Rangers first baseman Rafael Palmeiro, who is Cuban, and Reds outfielder Alex Ochoa, whose parents were born there, were among the Cuban-Americans who played.
"The team needs me," Palmeiro said Monday. "Unless I get a call from somebody really big, I'm playing. My responsibilities are to my family and my teammates. So as of right now, I'm in the lineup."
Ochoa, who had only 28 at-bats this season, spent the day thinking about the situation. And while he fully supports the cause, Ochoa did not want to miss an opportunity to be in the starting lineup.
"It's an easier decision for an everyday player," Ochoa said.
"I didn't want to let the team down."
The protest over Elian Gonzalez brought honking cars and waving
Cuban flags to the streets of Miami's Little Havana, the same
streets where fires and violence broke out Saturday after armed
federal agents grabbed the 6-year-old Cuban boy in a pre-dawn raid.
Protesters were hard to find at Tuesday's Marlins game, although at least one was in the dugout.
"I'm here, but it doesn't mean I feel any different than the other guys," pitcher Ricky Bones said. "People express themselves differently."
| |
ALSO SEE
Giants outlast shorthanded Marlins in 11 innings
Spurned Mets fans make Griffey feel most unwelcome
Royals return home, walk off with another win
 |
