MLB cancels spring games through March 4 due to lockout

By RONALD BLUM
AP Baseball Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball has canceled the first week of spring training games through March 4 in the first public acknowledgement of the disruption caused by the lockout. The work stoppage was in its 79th day Friday, a day after economic talks between the management and the Major League Baseball Players Association lasted just 15 minutes. Negotiators are set to resume talks on core economics on Monday, and MLB said members of the owners’ negotiating committee will attend the session, just the seventh on the central issues of the dispute since the lockout began Dec. 2. Exhibition games had been set to start Feb. 26 in Florida and Arizona.