Baseball Talks To Resume

In an effort to restart the baseball strike talks, the owners’ negotiating team will meet Thursday in Washington with special mediator W.J. Usery.

A management official, speaking on the condition he not be identified, confirmed the meeting. The official said events of great significance were expected.

Owners broke off talks Dec. 22 and implemented their salary cap proposal the following day. The sides haven’t met since.

Boston Red Sox chief executive officer John Harrington, chairman of management’s negotiating committee, has spent the past two weeks helping formulate the rules for replacement players that owners intend to hire for spring training and the regular season. Baseball’s ruling executive council approved the rules Friday.

At Caracas, Venezuela, baseball union leader Donald Fehr is due to arrive in this South American nation today to ask local players not to break ranks with fellow major leaguers.

Fehr will meet with Venezuelans and others playing winter ball for a briefing on efforts against the owner-imposed salary cap and the use of replacements, Dionisio Acosta, president of the Venezuelan Baseball Players Association, said.