1.   Baseball is back, but without a labor settlement and revenue sharing, many small-market teams may be in deep financial trouble.

2.   A major goal of some Republicans was to clean out the nine-member Amtrak board, all Clinton appointees, who negotiated the recent labor settlement.

3.   A stamp price increase in a strengthening economy was accompanied by a favorable labor settlement, which gave us nearly unheard-of surplus revenue.

4.   But like any good labor settlement, there are victims.

5.   But looming every bit as important for what fans remain is the continuing uncertainty, given the absence of a long-term labor settlement.

6.   But since players and management could not reach a labor settlement, the points about what might have been are moot.

7.   But there is no labor settlement.

8.   Even a late labor settlement is not without massive complications.

9.   In what could be construed as a veiled message from Steinbrenner to push harder for a labor settlement, the owner was defiant about having Howe here.

10.   Meanwhile, City Hall negotiated a tough labor settlement with the custodians, who had long been permitted to operate under sloppy work rules.