OSAKA -- The Japanese professional baseball players association adopted a resolution Tuesday to seek a 142-game season next year with interleague play to counter a management plan to introduce a 140-game schedule in 2001.
The players association, which earlier indicated it was not happy with management's lack of discussion with the union about the longer season, adopted its proposal unanimously at a meeting at an Osaka hotel.
The association chairman, Yakult Swallows catcher Atsuya Furuta, said that the union is ready to cooperate with the increase in the number of games, if the games were added "thinking of the fans first."
Furuta also hinted the players were ready to strike if negotiations with the Professional Baseball Organization of Japan (NPB) and the owners fail and the players are forced to accept the 140-game schedule.
"We all agree that somewhere we would boycott a game," Furuta explained.