MLB players, teams talk for 7th day in row, deadline nears

By RONALD BLUM
AP Baseball Writer

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Locked-out players and management officials were bargaining for the seventh straight day, just one day before Major League Baseball’s deadline to salvage March 31 openers and a 162-game schedule. Negotiators entered the 88th day of the work stoppage far apart on big issues that include luxury tax thresholds and rates, the size of the new bonus pool for pre-arbitration players and minimum salaries. Baseball’s ninth work stoppage started Dec. 2. MLB says that if there is not a deal by the end of Monday, there will not be enough training time to start the season as scheduled.