DEAL ON DRUG TESTS: PLAYERS

NEW YORK -- Baseball players said the union agreed to a drug-testing deal
Tuesday, while commissioner Bud Selig planned to join the talks and teams
began pushing back flights to prepare for a strike.

The sides met three times Tuesday, holding two-on-two discussions instead
of trading formal proposals among the full negotiating committees. "The
drug testing is a done deal," Los Angeles Dodgers player representative
Paul Lo Duca said. "We agreed on that, and that's great. They're getting
closer and closer."

Rob Manfred, management's top labour lawyer, would not say if owners agreed
to the testing plan.

"We made progress on the drug issue," he said. "Right now, I'm not
confirming or denying any agreements, proposals or potential agreements."

While there were upbeat assessments as the Friday walkout deadline loomed,
some teams made strike preparations.

The Chicago White Sox called off their Thursday charter to Detroit and said
they would travel Friday only if there isn't a walkout. Boston rescheduled
its charter to Cleveland for Friday, too, but St. Louis will travel
Thursday for the following day's game at the Chicago Cubs, which would be
the first game affected by a strike.

Selig didn't know when the last moment would be for a settlement that would
allow the schedule to remain uninterrupted.

"The closer you get to the date, it's tougher," he said from his home in
Milwaukee.

Lo Duca said the drug agreement included a penalty phase for positive
tests, and help for players who have problems.

"They're going to have the random testing for steroids, marijuana and
cocaine," Lo Duca said.