Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black on layoff, return, Nolan Arenado, David Dahl, and you

Black on similar work stoppage circumstances in recent years

There have been three work stoppages that you can draw some comparisons to with the current situation: the MLBPA’s strikes of 1981 and 1994-1995 and the postponement of games following the terrorist attacks on 9/11.

For the 1981 strike, Bud Black was one of the beneficiaries of the work stoppage at the MLB level. Minor league players were still playing and, at the time, he was with the Double-A Lynn Sailors in the Seattle Mariners organization.

With the MLB players on strike, the MLB scouts were assigned to the minor leagues. Black recalls how a Kansas City Royals scout saw him at the time and he saw Black pitch three straight good games in the Eastern League. The scout reported back to Royals GM (and future Hall of Famer) John Schuerholz that the Royals should keep an eye on Black for a possible trade in the future.

After the strike, the Mariners called Black up for a cup of coffee as he made two relief appearances out of the bullpen for the atrocious Mariners team that was 21 games under .500 in just 109 games (equivalent to a 97 loss team in a full season). Coincidentally, the Mariners manager was Rene Lachemann, who was on the Rockies coaching staff prior to Black becoming the manager.