It's up to the owners now. If you want to go on blaming the players for what has happened to baseball, have at it. You will be mistaken.

        Ashen Bud Selig said the new labor deal makes “significant contributions to restoring competitive balance.” Dour Donald Fehr decided it was “a deal we can live with,” which is as close to a concession speech as you'll ever get from the players' chief negotiator.

        The players gave in. They lost, if you're keeping score, or even if you care - which, around here, isn't likely. When the Reds draw fewer than 60,000 souls for three dates with the St. Louis Cardinals, you know people have their hearts and wallets aimed elsewhere.

        Regardless, here is all you need to know about the “historic” deal announced Friday:

        (1) Teams will share $258 million in revenues next year, $89 million more than they're sharing now. (2) The teams getting all that free money aren't obligated to spend it on ballplayers.

        Carl Lindner and the Reds' limited partners can go to Vegas with Cincinnati's share if they want. They can play bingo at the fire hall on Wednesday nights. Since the Reds didn't spend any of their free, revenue-shared cash on players this year, do we think they'll go on a shopping spree now?

        At least it forces some accountability. Reds Nation now understands its team will receive baseball welfare checks for the next four years. There should be less rhetoric about small-market hardships and more signings of Bartolo Colon.

        If there isn't, you'll have someone to blame. It won't be Junior Griffey.

        Here's hoping this rush of free money - and its attendant publicity - will force Lindner and the rest to open their wallets and let a few prime players walk in. Here's thinking it's time to put a team on the field that's worthy of the ballpark the public is funding.

        Owning a baseball team is a great gig. Taxpayers pay your mortgage and George Steinbrenner buys your groceries. All you have to do is keep the grass green and the lights turned on, and make a token effort at trying to win games.

        The owners didn't get all they wanted. This was a negotiation, not a holdup. But they got a substantial chunk. It's up to them to use their gains to make the game better. Because in four years, if the Royals are still the Royals and the Yankees are still the Yankees, this deal will have accomplished nothing, just like the last deal.

        Getting an agreement was the easy part. Getting fans to like major-league baseball again will be monumental. I didn't notice the noontime denizens of Fountain Square breaking out in spontaneous celebration at Ashen Bud's funereal announcement of triumph.

        Bud didn't quite say the deal made the game better. He just said the deal allowed the game to continue uninterrupted. The Reds will play on. You can debate the merits of that. You'll still spend $5.75 for a beer. Carl Lindner, we expect better next year.

        E-mail Paul Daugherty at pdaugherty@enquirer.com. Past columns at Enquirer.com/columns/daugherty

Reds should benefit from deal Baseball deal has something for everyone DAUGHERTY: Free money should mean free agents Highlights of the labor deal Reds relieved to keep playing Twins saved; Expos to D.C.? Bows, barbs for Selig Deal lifts burden from Boone Brewers 9, Reds 4 Reds Box, Runs Reds Notebook: Glove earns Stinnett more time Brewers end strange day with high five Cardinals 6, Cubs 3 Astros 8, Dodgers 4 Royals 5, Mariners 1 Angels 6, Orioles 2 Athletics 4, Twins 2 Giants 7, Diamondbacks 6 Padres 2, Rockies 0

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