1.   The league had just gone through a nine-week players strike, putting all of the Super Bowl plans on hold.

2.   And as the game tries to win back the fans it alienated during the players strike, it needs all the nice guys it can get.

3.   And that game was played on the eve of a players strike.

4.   As the major-league players strike nears its sixth month, such camps are evidence that perhaps anything is.

5.   - The only thing that can possibly stop government from allocating public money to subsidize baseball stadium construction is another players strike.

6.   A players strike next week conceivably could shut down the game for the remainder of the regular season, playoffs and World Series.

7.   A player strike.

8.   But for him to be saddled with a player strike would be the unkindest whack of all.

9.   Clubs should keep in mind the payment of the bonus amounts to a decision by the club to help fund the continuing players strike.

10.   Despite those long stretches of loathing over player strikes and games that take too long to play, baseball somehow remains ingrained in the souls of its addicts.