Before and during the eight-month strike by journalists in 1999 and 2000, Brennan was a member of the union's bargaining committee.

And there was the recent eight-month strike that threatened to end Winfield's career prematurely.

The leagues have rejected that kind of raise, saying the losses suffered in the players' nearly eight-month strike make it impossible.

The owners and players ran up an eight-month strike that just may have ruined their industry.

The decrease this year was a result of the economic losses the owners suffered from the players' eight-month strike.

Those differences caused an eight-month strike that wiped out last year's playoffs and World Series.

Attendance slipped to 18,587 from a 42,125 for opening night Tuesday, baseball's first game since the eight-month strike.

The union has also wanted to discuss credit for major league service time during the eight-month strike.

But payrolls were down this year because of the economic losses the owners suffered as a result of the players' eight-month strike.

One of the largest was an eight-month strike in 1974 over wages and facilities.