BASEBALL

Although two days of private meetings between Selig and union leader Donald Fehr failed to produce any progress in the stalled labor negotiations, special mediator William J. Usery said he is hopeful that talks will resume Friday.

Management’s negotiating committee will meet in Chicago today to prepare for the new talks.

Meanwhile, the National Labor Relations Board’s five-member board will meet in Washington today to consider general counsel Fred Feinstein’s request to seek an injunction that would force owners to reinstate terms of the expired labor agreement. Fehr has said the players will end the strike if the NLRB gets an injunction, but the owners may respond with a lockout.