Manfred joins talks as MLB, locked-out players meet again

By RONALD BLUM
AP Baseball Writer

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred entered long-stalled labor negotiations with players on with just over three days until Major League Baseball’s deadline for a deal that would ensure a 162-game season. After four straight days of largely fruitless negotiating sessions that focused on exchanging proposals in areas of relative minutia, Manfred walked from the offices behind home plate at Roger Dean Stadium to the building in the right-field corner that includes the St. Louis Cardinals clubhouse, which the players’ association has been using for its caucuses. Manfred stayed for 20 minutes before returning to where management negotiators have caucused.