President Peter O’Malley of the Dodgers is...

President Peter O’Malley of the Dodgers is optimistic that major league baseball will begin the 1990 season on time and avoid a lockout by the owners, despite the sudden change at the helm of management’s negotiating team.

“It’s going to be difficult, but I think it can happen,” O’Malley said. “I think we can open up the spring training camps and play the season uninterrupted, because both sides are getting to the table.”

O’Malley believes that Charles O’Conner, appointed as interim executive director and general counsel of the Players Relations Committee, will provide the owners with a smooth transition when contract negotiations begin.