Las Vegas optic., 1911-05-04
RAILROADING A
BALL PLAYER
TO minors
WAIVER SYSTEM IN MAJOR
LEAGUES BEING ABUSED BY
CLUB OWNERS

The waving system that prevails
IN the major leagues has always had
a queer look, but this season there
nave been so many unaccountable
events that one is commencing to
lose confidence in it.
Primarily, the waving system was
formed to protect the baseball PLAYER.
When a club wanted to send any of
its extra players to the minor leagues
1t had to serve notice on the other
clubs of its intention.
Should any other club want this
player, it could obtain him by paying
nominal sum. This was done to
prevent any club disciplining a COM
petent player by railroading him to
the bush leagues.
In theory it is a beautiful thought,
check to prevent any manipulation
or slavish methods being employed
by the club owner; but the owners
evidently have found a way to get
around it. !
AS conditions now stand, a club
owner can send any player not ex-
actly a Cobb, Collins or Matthewson
to the minors without any other
rivals taking advantage of the waiver
rule. A tgentleman's agreement ex-
lists, in which owner Brown will
waive on certain players belonging
to Owner Smith provided Owner
Smith valves on his. This is a fine
for everybody involved f
the ball player. e
Steinfeldt, the third baseman of d
he champion Cubs, was railroaded to I
he minors last week. Chicago has a
been trying to get him out of the h
league for some weeks. When they 7
first asked for waivers, both Cincin
natl and Boston claimed the man. g
Chicago then withdrew the demand
for waivers, and ostensibly had g
it's opinion regarding Stein 6
feldt and decided to hold him. Last t
Wednesday, however, Steinfeldt was {
to the st. Louis team '
Of the American association.
For some reason, Cincinnati and ,
Boston did not object this time but :
permitted Steinfeldt to get out of
the league.
Seinfeldt had no business in the ;
minors. There are clubs in the Nation
al league who could use his batting
and fielding ability and experience to
good advantage. Pressure was
brought to bear by the Chicago club
to have this man put in slower COM
pany, where the salaries are lower.
Three weeks ago, when it was re-
ported that Chicago was going to ask
waivers on Steinfeldt, reliable re
porters accompanying the Boston Ma
tionals sent stories to their paper
that Fred Tenny would never waiver
ON Steinfeldt, but would make every
effort to get him for Boston.
He believed that this crack third
baseman would be just the man to
brace his tottering infield. In few
days Tenny changed his mind TO-
unaccountable reasons.
It will be recalled that Steinfeldt
had a salary controversy with his
club this year He poured in some
hot shots at the Chicago club and
received some in return. When he
Joined the team correspondents re-
norted that he appeared to be per-
soma non grata with the executive
side of the club.
Perhaps this has nothing to do
with the matter, but it is fact that
the methods used to railroad a com
netent man to the minor league puts
the blush of shame on major league
baseball. Organization is necessary TO
make baseball a paying institution.
hut when any owner or owners use
tba mower of their organization TO
onnress a player, then they are
handling dynamite.