The collective bargaining agreement between players and owners expires Oct. 31, or after the end of the World Series, whichever is later. Baseball already has had eight work stoppages since 1972. Management's goal is to slow salary growth. A luxury tax was imposed on the teams with the five highest payrolls from 1997-99. While it did slow salary growth slightly, it didn't have the significant effect many owners were looking for.
Many teams still feel they are out of contention even before the season begins.
Atlanta Braves president Stan Kasten said last year. Team executives aren't making public comments now because commissioner Bud Selig is threatening them with fines if they speak about labor. Selig's job is to formulate management's policy, and most teams have no idea what approach he'll take in bargaining. The small markets want more revenue sharing money in addition to salary restraints. Some are looking to management's bargaining representatives as clues, but Selig hasn't identified them yet.