Baseball Says 10 Umpires Can Have Their Jobs Back

Baseball has offered to rehire 10 of the 22 umpires it let go last September, but only as part of a new labor contract and only if the umps’ old union agrees to settle its grievance.

The offer has tentatively been agreed to by the new union, the World Umpires Assn., two lawyers familiar with the talks said Thursday on the condition they not be identified.

But the old union, Richie Phillips’ Major League Umpires Assn., said it hasn’t been contacted by baseball or the new union.

MLUA lawyer Pat Campbell said the offer falls far short of what his side wants.

“If that’s the offer, they can save it because that offer does not reflect the realities of the case,” he said.

The MLUA filed a grievance to regain the jobs of the 22 and a hearing has been moved back to August.

The 10 umpires who would be rehired under the offer, according to the lawyers, would be Gary Darling, Bob Davidson, Bruce Dreckman, Jim Evans, Tom Hallion, Ed Hickox, Bill Hohn, Sam Holbrook, Paul Nauert and Larry Vanover.

Six of the 22 umpires, all over 55, would retire under the plan: Dale Ford, Rich Garcia, Ken Kaiser, Larry McCoy, Frank Pulli, Terry Tata.

The remaining six would be given buyouts, either in a lump sum, or an annuity: Drew Coble, Eric Gregg, Mark Johnson, Greg Kosc, Larry Poncino and Joe West.

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Cuban baseball player Andy Morales had not been released from government detention but was already being courted by major league teams, according to his agent.

Morales, a 24-year-old third baseman, came ashore near Key West, Fla., on Tuesday with eight other immigrants. He was released to family members after his immigration paperwork was processed.

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The struggling Montreal Expos fired pitching coach Bobby Cuellar and bench coach Luis Pujols and replaced them with Brad Arnsberg and Jeff Cox. . . . An MRI exam showed that Yankee right-hander Orlando Hernandez has mild inflammation in his right elbow, but no ligament damage. . . . Left-hander Daniel Garibay was optioned to triple-A Iowa by the Chicago Cubs, who recalled right-hander Kyle Farnsworth.