A baseball player said the union agreed to a drug-testing deal Tuesday night, while commissioner Bud Selig planned to join the talks and teams began pushing back flights to prepare for a strike.

SOUND OFF

Use our e-mail form to tell us what what you think about a strike.

        The sides met three times Tuesday, holding 2-on-2 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.”

        Selig's absence was the big question around baseball negotiations Tuesday. The union has indicated the negotiations might move along faster if he was at the table in New York, rather than in his office in Milwaukee.

        Union leaders held a conference call Monday night with player agents, and said they weren't ready to make their best pitch yet because the commissioner is still in Milwaukee, said one source who asked not to be named.

        The two sides had met twice by early evening Tuesday, but the union hadn't responded to the owners' latest proposal on revenue sharing and a payroll tax, which came Sunday.

        “We have, however, had conceptual discussions, aimed at resolving those differences between us, and it is possible that those discussions will continue later tonight,” said the owners' chief negotiator, Rob Manfred.

        “I'm hoping we meet again tonight because we don't have a lot of time and we need to reach an agreement.”

        Though the commissioner is in Milwaukee, he “is involved in every single step we have taken with respect to the negotiations,” Manfred said. “I think I have talked to him 15 times today personally. He's been involved in a number of conference calls with our negotiating committee as an active member of our caucus.”

        Manfred added that like most CEOs of major companies, Selig shouldn't be expected to be at the negotiating table.

        He said there is still time to reach an agreement, and that negotiating through the night Thursday “would be within the realm of possibility.”

        “The 30 major league baseball clubs are prepared and will be prepared to play any and all scheduled games,” Manfred said. “When there is an interruption, it will be as a result of an action that the players will take.”

        TRAVEL PLANS ALTERED: Teams began pushing back travel plans to prepare for the possible strike Friday.

        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.

        “Midnight Thursday, if we don't have a deal by then, we're on very dangerous ground,” Selig told ESPN radio.

        After negotiators met briefly Tuesday morning, players held a telephone conference call with the union staff. There was a longer session in the afternoon and another at night as the sides tried to avert baseball's ninth work stoppage since 1972, but the sides were holding nonbinding 2-on-2 discussions.

        “I'm still optimistic. I really think we're going to get something done,” said Atlanta's Tom Glavine, the NL player representative. “I think there are still going to be some ups and downs between now and Thursday. ... But ultimately I'm optimistic that we're going to get something done.”

        Not all players were as upbeat as Glavine.

        “I plan on striking Friday,” Red Sox pitcher John Burkett said. “I think it's going to be long. I'm just going by my experience in '94.”

        Owners and players disagree on how much to increase revenue sharing and on the level of a luxury tax on high-payroll teams that would slow salary increases.

        “If the owners want a deal, there will be a deal,” Reds player representative Aaron Boone said. “The framework is there for a deal to be had.”

        The Associated Press contributed

Game 2: Cardinals 5, Reds 0 Game 1: Reds 5, Cardinals 4 Reds Box, Runs: Game 2 Reds Box, Runs: Game 1 Fans vow to strike back Selig to join labor talks Kearns could be finished for season Reds Notebook: Reitsma sent down after win Finley finds peace in St. Louis More softball tickets available Bonds hits three homers Angels 7, Devil Rays 3 Dodgers 6, Diamondbacks 1 Padres 11, Astros 6 Toledo 5, Louisville 0

Bengals kicking competition close
Book on Harris: Punting job his
Bengals Notebook: Foot injuries increase
Browns concerned about Couch's injury
Largent wins primary for governor
NFL Notebook: Pats, Anderson can't seal deal
Xavier recruit ineligible
Lakota East wins soccer battle for No. 2
Beechwood AD named football coach
Purcell-Winton game moved
Boys Golf Honor Roll
Boys Soccer Results
Girls Soccer Results
Boys Cross Country Results
Girls Cross Country Results
Boys Golf Results
Girls Golf Results
Field Hockey Results
Girls Tennis Results
Girls Volleyball Results
Kentucky Boys Cross Country Preview
Kentucky Girls Cross Country Preview
Miami names new Hall of Famers
Dusing helps U.S. win silver
NY, San Francisco make U.S. cut for 2012 Olympics
Safin survives Open marathon
Hingis shakes off rust
Miller questionable for World Basketball opener

• Return to Reds front page...