MLB Acting Commissioner Bud Selig said yesterday that plans
for interleague play will be put on hold for the '97 season
unless a new labor deal is signed by November 15, according to
I.J. Rosenberg of the ATLANTA CONSTITUTION. Selig said a cut-off
date was needed because teams have to finalize schedules and
begin selling tickets for '97. Rosenberg notes while MLB's
management and union are expected to begin talking again today, a
deal does not seem "imminent" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 10/23). MLB
owners have already agreed on interleague play, but the MLBPA
will only approve it as "part of an overall labor agreement,"
according to Mark Maske of the WASHINGTON POST. MLBPA Exec Dir
Donald Fehr said there have been no recent talks between the two
sides regarding a separate deal on interleague play. Asked if he
thought a labor deal would be done by November 15, Selig said, "I
really believe we will" (Tom Haudricourt, MILWAUKEE JOURNAL
SENTINEL, 10/23).
TALKS TODAY: Selig "made no promises" yesterday about
remaining directly involved in the labor talks, scheduled to
resume today, and declined to say whether he supports a deal
proposed by management negotiator Randy Levine. Selig: "The
notion that the votes are there and there's some draconian reason
for not moving forward is wrong" (WASHINGTON POST, 10/24). Selig
will "filter in and out" of today's talks (NEWSDAY, 10/23). Red
Sox CEO John Harrington will join Levine and Fehr, according to
Larry Whiteside of the BOSTON GLOBE. Selig, on MLB's current
economic state: "The fact you have payroll No. 1 (in the AL)
meeting payroll No. 1 (in the NL) in the World Series is no
accident. ... These are concerns of the other clubs" (BOSTON
GLOBE, 10/23).
