Owner Pressured to Participate in FA Plan November 3, 1999
Hartford, CT (AP)- After its second straight last-place finish in the McCoy
Division and 2 seasons removed from its World Championship, the Hartford
Whalers front office is receiving intense pressure from its players,
coaches and fans to abandon its position on not participating in the FA
Plan. "It's nice to have conviction but it hasn't gotten us anywhere,"
first baseman Mo Vaughn stated last week in a phone interview. "I have no
problem with people taking a stand on something but when you've finished
last two seasons in a row, isn't it time to reconsider? Besides, if the
situation exists why not take advantage of it?" Vaughn said he sided with
Medina's stand on the issue in that one should take advantage of
opportunities placed before him. However, last season Hartford owner and
GM at the time, Jeremy Chrabascz, refused to participate in the FA Plan,
citing his "moral principles" and claiming that, "one should not have to
steal from other teams to win." Tampa Bay also did not participate in the
FA Plan last season. Word is that this year every team but the wavering
Hartford Whalers WOULD BE participating.
Just last week, Chrabascz stated emphatically that, "We will not be moved.
The FA plan is crap." However, Chrabascz made the decision last season as
Owner & General Manager. Having placed the management of the team in Peter
Gammons' hands, controversy was sure to brew with this unpredictable owner.
And Gammons has been known to be his own man. Chrabascz, in fact, was
critical earlier in the season with some of Gammons' decisions, especially
the trading of Masato Yoshi. Once again, the two seem to be at odds. Word
from inside the Hartford camp now is that Gammons has decided to
participate in the FA Plan given the pressure being placed on him by the
players, coaches and fans to use their #1 pick. Officially, Gammons had
"no comment" tonight. However, interim Manager Dwight "Dewey" Evans
slipped up earlier this week when he commented, off-hand that Hartford was
"still trying to figure out where to go with the [FA] Plan and what [they]
would go get."
It seems a battle is brewing between the guys in the clubhouse (and at home
in front of the tv's and radios) and those up in the front office. Only
time will tell what Hartford does. Regardless, this will be the final
season of the existing FA Plan.
In other news....
- Hartford seems to be looking for a solid pitcher or two but unwilling to
budge in trading its young talent.
- The search continues for Dwight Evans' replacement as manager and batting
coach.
