BASEBALL ‘94: GOING, GOING . . . GONE : The Issues

A look at the dividing lines in baseball’s labor dispute:

WHAT THE OWNERS WANT

* Revenue sharing on a 50-50 basis, with $1 billion guaranteed to the players over seven years if revenues don’t decrease. Salaries and benefits for players currently amount to 58% of revenues.

* After a four-year phase-in period in the seven-year agreement, clubs couldn’t have payrolls more than 110% of the major league average or less than 84% of the average.

* Elimination of salary arbitration.

* Free agency threshold would drop from six years of major league service to four, but clubs would be able to keep their free agents by matching the highest offer until the players have six years’ service.

* Escalating scale of minimum salaries for players with less than four years’ major league service, although they could sign for more than the minimum.

* Implementation of the agreement clubs made with each other in January to increase revenue that is shared among teams.

WHAT THE PLAYERS WANT

FIRST PROPOSAL

* Eliminate the restriction on repeat free agency within a five-year span if a player’s club offers salary arbitration at the end of his contract.

* Reduce the threshold for salary arbitration to two years of major league service, which was its level in 1974-86. It currently is three years plus the top 17% of the players with between two and three years of major league service.

* Increase minimum salary from $109,000 to $175,000-$200,000.

* Increase pension levels for players who played before 1970.

SECOND PROPOSAL

* A “tax” of 1 1/2% of revenue on the top 16 clubs by revenue and a “tax” of 1 1/2% of payrolls on the top 16 clubs by payroll. The money would be redistributed to the bottom 10 clubs in each category.

* Home teams share 25% of ticket money with visiting teams. American League home teams currently share 20% and National League home teams share 43 cents per ticket over $1, about 4%.