Wealthy Baseball Owners Are Stuck on `Skid' Row

On your knees, baseball fans. The owners need your help.

No, no, no! Put your wallets back in your pockets. Leaveyour shirts on. Yes, your first-born children are safe. This isserious.

The owners don't need more of your earthly possessions. Theyneed your prayers.

Remember the glorious days of yore - say, 1970 - when the lordsof baseball could hoist maggots such as Curt Flood on their sabers,examine him and his pals and their piteous bleats for free agency,chortle in unison, then swallow everything whole? Urp. What awonderful era!

Owning a baseball team back then was akin to owning a flock ofgeese. Fatten the animals up, pluck the feathers, put …