- Masood, Abdullah centuries lift Pakistan to 328-4 in first England Test
- Hurricane Milton strengthens fast, threatens Mexico, Florida
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- Barca hoping to return to Camp Nou 'by end of year'
- Trump to open second golf course at Scotland resort in summer 2025
- Super-sub Jhon Duran rewarded with new Aston Villa deal
- US duo win Nobel for gene regulation breakthrough
- Masood hits first ton for four years to power Pakistan to 233-1
- Fritz wins delayed match to reach Shanghai Masters third round
- Naomi Osaka pulls out of Japan Open with back injury
- Weather may delay launch of mission to study deflected asteroid
- China to flesh out economic stimulus plans after bumper rally
- Artist Marina Abramovic hopes first China show offers tech respite
- Asian markets track Wall St rally on US jobs data
- Pakistan 122-1 at lunch in first England Test
- Kazakhs approve plan for first nuclear power plant
- World marks anniversary of Oct. 7 attack on Israel
- 'Second family': tennis stars hunt winning formula with new coaches
- Philippines, South Korea agree to deepen maritime cooperation
- Mexico mayor murdered days after taking office
- Sardinia's sheep farmers battle bluetongue as climate warms
- Japan govt admits doctoring 'untidy' cabinet photo
- Israel marks first anniversary of Hamas's October 7 attack
- Darvish tames Ohtani as Padres thrash Dodgers
- Asian markets track Wall St rally on jobs data
- Family affair as LeBron, Bronny James make Lakers bow
- Cancer, cardiovascular drugs tipped for Nobel as prize week opens
- As Great Salt Lake dries, Utah Republicans pardon Trump climate skepticism
- Amazon activist warns of 'critical situation' ahead of UN forum
- Mourners pay tribute to latest victims of deadly Channel crossing
- Tunisia incumbent Saied set to win presidential vote: exit polls
- Phillies win thriller to level Mets series
- Yu bags first PGA Tour win with playoff win
- PSG held by Nice to leave Monaco clear at top of Ligue 1
- AC Milan fall at Fiorentina after De Gea's penalty heroics
- Lewandowski treble for leaders Barca as Atletico held
- Fresh Israeli strikes hit south Beirut
- Sucic stunner earns Real Sociedad draw against Atletico
- PSG draw with Nice, fail to reclaim top spot in Ligue 1
- Gudmundsson downs AC Milan after De Gea's penalty heroics for Fiorentina
- 'Yes' vote prevails in Kazakhstan nuclear plant vote: TV
- 'Difficult day': Oct 7 commemorations begin with festival memorial
- Commemorations begin for anniversary of attack on Israel
- Lewandowski hat-trick powers Liga leaders Barca to Alaves victory
- 'Nothing gets in way of team,' says Celtics' MVP hopeful Tatum
- India maintain Pakistan stranglehold as Windies cruise at Women's T20 World Cup
- 'We will win!': Mozambique's ruling party confident at final vote rally
- Tunisia voting ends as Saied eyes re-election with critics behind bars
- Florida braces for Milton, FEMA head slams 'dangerous' Helene misinformation
- Postecoglou slams 'unacceptable' Spurs after 'terrible' loss at Brighton
MLB boss hopeful but says missed games 'disastrous'
Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said Thursday that missed 2022 games would be a "disastrous outcome" to an ongoing money dispute with players but he remains hopeful of a deal.
Manfred, speaking at a meeting of club owners in Orlando, said MLB plans to resume negotiations on Saturday with a new proposal to players, who were locked out by owners in December after their old collective bargaining agreement expired.
"I see missing games as a disastrous outcome for this industry and we're comitted to making an agreement in an effort to avoid that," Manfred said.
MLB team training camps are set to begin next week with the first pre-season contests still planned for February 26 and Manfred saying he is optimistic the regular season will begin as scheduled on March 31.
"I am an optimist," Manfred said. "I believe we will have an agreement in time to play our regular schedule."
Manfred said there is "no change right now" in training camp plans but the calendar will be a topic of conversation with the MLB Players Association in their fifth session since the lockout began December 2.
"We're going to make a good faith, positive proposal in an effort to move the process forward," Manfred said. "It's a good proposal."
Manfred said the league and union share the goal of paying younger players more money earlier in their careers, but the method has been a topic of major disagreement and the levels of a financial bonus pool have been widely different.
"We have moved toward the players on key areas in an effort to address their concerns," Manfred said.
Owners want expanded playoffs and to use designated hitters to bat for pitchers in the National League, as is now done in the American League.
"In total, the proposals we made would move the agreement decidedly in the players' direction," Manfred said.
The union has been steadfast on wanting players to become eligible for contract arbitration after two years and a reduction in revenue sharing, seen by players as acting as a limitation to maximum salaries for top talent.
Manfred says reduced revenue sharing would destroy competitive balance that allows teams from smaller markets to compete with clubs in New York and Los Angeles. Players say they shouldn't lose money so club owners don't overspend or underspend on salaries.
"Changing the current agreement by taking resources from clubs with relatively limited revenue will make the game less competitive," Manfred said.
The current 70-day shutdown marks the second-longest in MLB history behind the epic dispute that wiped out the 1994 World Series and was not settled until the 1995 season was shortened.
It's expected a deal must be reached by early next month in order for the 2022 campaign to begin as scheduled.
Y.Aukaiv--AMWN