In Minneapolis, Sid Hartman reports that there is "a chance"
that the MLBPA will have a new offer to consider after today's
MLB Exec Committee meeting in Chicago (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE,
8/1). One owner tells the N.Y. TIMES: "We're going to start
talking economic issues with them as early as this week or next
week." Baseball's players and the owners need the resuming labor
negotiations "to get a deal and assure the fans peace in our
time," writes Murray Chass in today's N.Y. TIMES. Chass
continues, notes that, even without a salary cap, owners "could
pay players as little as they want in many cases" and use that
strategy to force the players "to accept whatever position they
adopt. If the owners were to pursue that strategy, they would do
so with the belief that the players would not strike again.
Indeed, the players prefer a new agreement to a new work
stoppage, but they are unlikely to accept a deal at any cost"
(N.Y. TIMES, 8/1).
LEGAL TEAMS: As of now, according to Chass, the legal
lineup for both sides will be: Stanley Jaspan, Rob Manfred and
Frank Coonelly for the owners, and Lauren Rich, Michael Weiner
and Steve Fehr for the players. Chass notes the possibility that
Randy Levine, currently New York City Commissioner of Labor
Relations and former representative for the Yankees, could be
added to the owners' legal team. If Levin is hired, it could be
as head of the owners' negotiating committee (N.Y. TIMES, 8/1).
NEW RULES: In San Francisco, Tim Keown writes on the recent
anti-fan actions by such players as Jack McDowell and Chili
Davis, "Two years ago, those incidents would have been
insignificant, quirky sidelights, hardly front-page news. Not
any more. The strike changed the rules, turned every incident
into a further sign of deterioration, a small glimpse of the
empire's decline" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 8/1).
