What an improvement over the old schedule, which allowed some divisional rivals to go months without playing each other. The first visit by the defending world-champion Yankees to Camden Yards last year was during the final week of July. In the first 10 days of the regular season, there are seven series between teams that finished first and second in their divisions last year. What a great way to begin the season. So far, both the owners and union officials are projecting a more positive relationship than the one that bubbled up into the most damaging work stoppage in baseball history in 1994-1995, but the ideological divide between them appears to be wider than ever before.
Ownership still wants stricter controls on payrolls.
The union still is resistant to any kind of salary cap. There are rumors of a November lockout that would disrupt the free-agent market, but both sides seemed sincerely chastened by the adverse fan reaction to the last labor battle. Maybe they learned something. Maybe they didn't. They just might have the pitching to do it.