The "first sign" that MLB's owners and players "are trying
to work together to find a solution will be made public in the
next couple of days," according to Tracy Ringolsby of the ROCKY
MOUNTAIN NEWS. The owners have agreed to fund the players'
pension plan in accordance with the old CBA, and in return, the
players have agreed to play the postseason, according to a source
close to the MLBPA. The result of post-strike strife "has been
the expansion of the moderates among both owners and players
eager for a deal" (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 8/27). In Washington,
however, Mark Maske reports the joint announcement hasn't
happened because owners are yet to agree on an "ironclad
commitment to make their contribution to the players' pension
fund from postseason revenues" (WASHINGTON POST, 8/27).
TOP TEN: NEWSDAY's Jon Heyman lists his top ten most
powerful people in baseball. 1) Disney CEO MICHAEL OVITZ; 2)
Acting Commissioner BUD SELIG; 3) MLBPA Exec Dir DON FEHR; 4)
Would-be MLB President ARLAN KANTARIAN; 5) News Corp. Chair
RUPERT MURDOCH; 6) Senate Judiciary Chairman ORRIN HATCH; 7)
Yankees Owner GEORGE STEINBRENNER; 8) MLB TV negotiator BARRY
FRANK; 9) Red Sox CEO JOHN HARRINGTON; 10) ESPN President & CEO
STEVE BORNSTEIN (NEWSDAY, 8/27).
NOT ON THE LIST: "Talking Baseball with Ed Randall" had
former NY Gov. Mario Cuomo as a guest Friday. Cuomo on whether
he would be interested in being Commissioner: "I don't think so.
... I think the owners essentially want an agent for the owners,
and I don't blame them" (PRIME, 8/25).
