MLB MOVES TOWARD LABOR AGREEMENT OPPORTUNITIES

     While the baseball offseason has featured a "blizzard" of
player movement, there is still no MLB labor agreement. Since it
appears "unlikely" there will be a work stoppage during '96, MLB
owners and players face a number of opportunities to announce
labor peace, according to BASEBALL WEEKLY.  Owners meetings
scheduled for January 16-18 in L.A. will focus on revenue
sharing, but Peter Pascarelli reports a framework for a new labor
deal could be in place for discussion by then.  Team GMs and
managers will be at these meetings and they will draw significant
media coverage setting a "stage" for labor news if it can be
made.  This would also coincide with the January opening of club
season-ticket sales.  The announcement of a new labor deal to
open spring training would also be a "perfect PR sendoff" for the
'96 season.  If not done by then, Opening Day would be the next
"crunch deadline" as Pascarelli notes MLB cannot go on
indefinitely without a CBA (BASEBALL WEEKLY, 1/3-9 issue).