THE LOCKOUT: DAY 1 : A FAN’S GUIDE : Q & A: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Question: Why is it called a lockout?

Answer: It’s seldom that an owner of a corporation locks the office doors and doesn’t let the employees in. That’s what is happening here. Baseball owners are refusing to let the players come to work unless a Basic Agreement (contract) is reached between the owners and the players’ union representatives. The last agreement expired Dec. 31, 1989. If the players refused to report to spring training, it would be called a strike.

Q: Who is participating in the talks?

A: Negotiators for the Major League Baseball Players Relation Committee (PRC), which represents the owners, and officials of the Major League Baseball Players’ Assn. (MLBPA), which represents the players. Also, Baseball Commissioner Fay Vincent, who is hired and paid by the owners, joined the talks Tuesday.

Q: How quickly would it take players to get ready for the regular season if an agreement is reached?

A: Spring training runs six weeks for pitchers, catchers and injured players and about five weeks for the position players. The consensus is that for position players, the least amount of spring-season training needed would be three weeks. But pitchers need almost the entire six weeks and would pitch fewer innings at the start of the season because of a lack of stamina.

Q: How soon could camps open if an agreement is reached?

A: Owner representatives say it would take about a week to prepare camps to open.

Q: Why can’t spring training camps open while the owners and players continue discussion?

A: Seemingly, the players union would allow players to report to spring training while it continues negotiations with the owners. However, the owners want an agreement before the season begins, and are trying to ensure that by not opening spring training camps.

Here’s why: The bulk of the money received by the owners comes from the telecast of postseason events. The owners receive that money toward the end of the season. The owners are fearful that if they start the season without a contract the players will wait until July or August and strike. By then, most of the players will have received the bulk of their annual salaries.

The union says it will not forfeit its right to strike during the season.

Q: How are the players paid?

A: The majority of players are paid their salary during the regular season. Some players, though, elect to have their salary paid over a 26-week pay period. Players do not get paid for spring training, but do receive expense money.

Q: Does the entire agreement have to be in place before the owners open spring training?

A: According to recent reports, no. Before Vincent joined the talks, the owners said that revenue sharing must be agreed to by the union before the owners will consider opening camps.

Q: What is revenue sharing?

A: The owners would use 48% of their revenue from ticket sales and television and radio rights--which produce 82% of their total revenue--for players’ salaries and benefits. The revenue would be used to pay player salaries for players with one to six years of major league service, and would be shared equally by the 26 clubs. The salaries would be determined on a statistically based, pay-for-performance scale.

Q: What about the salary cap?

A: A condition of revenue sharing would impose a salary cap on each team. Free agents, players with at least six years of major league experience, could not sign with teams other than their own if those teams’ payrolls were above the specified limit.

Q: Why is revenue sharing so important to the owners?

A: The owners want “cost certainty.” They want to know how much revenue to budget for salaries. They say revenue sharing isn’t a means to ensure profitability for all 26 clubs, but the best way to put stability in their relationship with the players.

Q: Why is the players union so opposed to revenue sharing?

A: The owners’ pay-for-performance system, as originally proposed, would eliminate arbitration, which is currently available to players with three years of major league service or more.

Secondly, for players with one to six years of experience, it would eliminate guaranteed contracts and multiyear contracts that are executed when a player nears free agency.

Third, salaries would be determined by statistical formulas based on numbers from the players’ previous two seasons. The union believes a players’ value cannot be measured on statistics alone.

Finally, the revenue-sharing conditions would impose a salary cap that could restrict mobility for free agents. Players with six years or more would still be free agents, but they could not sign with teams other than their own if those teams’ payrolls were above the specified limit.

Q: Have the owners softened their stance?

A: It’s been reported that on Tuesday the owners modified their proposal to keep arbitration but place a 75% ceiling on the amount of increase a player can receive. The proposal would also dump the pay-for-performance system based on a statistical table for determining the salary of players with six or fewer years of major league service.

Q: Why can’t the baseball commissioner stop this lockout?

A: The commissioner, who is hired and paid by the owners, can use his influence to encourage a settlement. But he does not have authority over the players’ union, and therefore cannot order an agreement.

Q: What about tickets purchased for the regular season?

A: If you are holding a ticket to a game and the game is not played, Dodger officials say you will be entitled to a refund. Procedures would be announced at the appropriate time.