Baseball Talks Might Resume on Thursday

Representatives of baseball’s owners and players said Tuesday they are hopeful labor talks will resume Thursday in New York, but there has been no indication of a change in the owners’ salary cap proposal or the players opposition to it.

“No one on our side is optimistic, but getting to the table, at least, would be an improvement,” union lawyer Lauren Rich said. There have been only three negotiating sessions since the players went on strike Aug. 12 and none since Sept. 9.

Acting commissioner Bud Selig said there has been no change in the owners’ proposal or position--nor any evidence of a behind-the-scenes compromise.

Nevertheless, he said, “there’s no way to make a deal if we don’t meet.” And he insisted that the owners have not decided whether to implement the cap if there is no agreement, a move the union believes is certain.

The owners previously asked the players for a 45-day freeze on contract signings, a span during which the owners would pledge not to implement a cap, and for a delay in Saturday’s scheduled start of free agent filing to Nov. 30.

A union lawyer said a decision would be made Friday.