Baseball, NCAA Talk of Eligibility

Baseball Commissioner Fay Vincent and NCAA Executive Director Dick Schultz are considering a plan that could change the relationship between the pros and colleges and provide a measure of relief to cash-strapped schools.

Under the plan, still in the formative stage, college players would be able to sign with major league teams without losing their eligibility to play for their schools. The teams would pay for the education of the players, who would play during the summer for teams run by a professional manager.

“That would take a major change in our rules, but it’s situations like that that I can see changing over the next 10 years,” Schultz said.

The NCAA also is looking at ways of allowing undergraduates to enter pro football and basketball drafts but play out their college eligibility if they don’t sign.