Hammers to Gray: Fat Chance--Team sticks with weight-and-see tactic

By Tony Massarotti
Boston Herald Sports Columnist

QUINCY POINT, MA - When you really stop and think about it, John Gray never had a chance. Not when he is 34 years old and just one in a strong class of potential free agent outfielders. Not when the M.C. Club have money to burn and Gray looks like he just ate John Cascarano.

The latter is a triviality, of course, because by now we all know that beautiful bodies and softball do not necessarily mesh. Former Louies SS/2B/DH Dave McMillian just got voted into the B.S.S.S.L. Hall of Fame, and McMillian played much of his career built like Spanky from the Little Rascals.

But McMillian & Gray can hit, and there was a time in Gray's career when that might have been enough to get a one-year, incentive laden contract extension.

That time is no more.

“It’s disappointing, but that’s the way it works,” Gray said yesterday, one day after the M.C. Club informed him that they would not be granting him a contract extension. “It’s a business and I get that."

Next fall, Matt Fratolillo, Dennis Joyce, Mike Bayliss, Fred Regan, Mark Nutley, Lou Venterelli and even Rich Brill are among the potential free agents.

Know what that all means? It means the M.C. Club can wait. It means that if Gray still wants to play here and the price has gone up to, say, 7 free beers a game, the Hammers can pay it without buyer’s remorse. It also means that the black & orange will have other options available if and when Gray decides to go elsewhere.

"Neck League" hits the big 40.

The Boston South Shore Slowpitch League enters it's 40th year of softball. The League, founded in 1967, is based in Houghs Neck, Quincy, Massachusetts where it plays the majority of it's games at LeBreque Field. Flanagans defeated McInnis Carpentry 4-0 last year for it's 5th consecutive title. Other teams in the league are The Chefs, Local 103, Hofbrau 1 & 2, Alumni Cafe, The Fours, Murphy's, Crabby D's & The Beers.

Countdown

HOUGHS NECK, MA- Spring Training for the M.C. Club is just weeks away. Pitchers and Catchers report to the HN American Legion Post March 1st with all other players arriving March 2nd.

The Hammers avoided an arbitration hearing with thirdbaseman Scott Logan today by agreeing to a one-year deal worth $1.875 million.

The Club had initially offered $1.725 million; Logan was asking for $2.2 million. A hearing had been scheduled for today.

Logan hit .657 with 7 homers and 42 RBI for the M.C. Club last year while playing in 27 games.

"We certainly weren't afraid to go" to the hearing, general manager Thomas Fratolillo said, but "both sides are satisfied."

The M.C. Club have not had an arbitration hearing since Fratolillo took over as general manager in 2002.

Logan, obtained from Cagneys in 2002, is the starting thirdbaseman on M.C. and can fill gaps created by injuries at any infield position.

-AP