MLB labor talks are not expected to resume until next week,
according to this morning's WASHINGTON POST. MLBPA Exec Dir Don
Fehr and MLB chief labor negotiator Randy Levine spoke yesterday
but did not schedule a formal negotiating session. Mark Maske
reports the owners "apparently would like for Levine to apply the
finishing touches to a settlement late next week" -- then they
could vote on the deal at their quarterly meetings in Seattle on
September 10-12 (WASHINGTON POST, 8/28). In Milwaukee, Tom
Haudricourt reports, "Meanwhile, Levine awaits word from owners
as to what they're seeking to close the deal that has remained in
limbo for a couple of weeks. ... At best, a handshake deal will
be reached next week, with owners ratifying it at their meeting."
Contrary to other reports, Haudricourt also notes that acting MLB
Commissioner Bud Selig "said he had not taken an informal poll of
owners to see where they stood on the issues of service time and
the second tax-free year." Fehr, who heads to Toronto, Montreal
and Pittsburgh to brief players over the next few days: "It
doesn't do any good at this point to be anything but be calm and
patient" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 8/28). In Dallas, Ken
Daley writes, "Owners want -- and probably will get -- players to
drop their request for two luxury tax-free years at the end of
the new contract. With service time granted, players would
likely settle for a deal with only one tax-free year at the end"
(DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 8/27).
