INSIDE THE AL: PLAYERS, OWNERS SETTLE IN FOR FIGHT.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

In the public-relations war between players and owners, it's the players who must face the wrath of fans now that a strike date has been set. The owners, meanwhile, are able to hide out and avoid direct contact with the public.

Texas Rangers owner Tom Hicks, speaking to the Dallas Morning News from aboard his yacht off the coast of San Diego, said the owners would like to implement even more stringent rules on how much they can spend than what a payroll tax would do.

``I think the majority of owners, including me, would probably like to have even stronger cost-containment than we're talking about right now,'' Hicks said. ``If they do choose to go on strike, I'm confident ownership will not allow a repeat of 1994. We need to fix baseball and not just have another Band-Aid solution.''

Ironically, it is Hicks who has spent more money on one player than any owner in professional sports history, paying Rangers shortstop Alex Rodriguez $252 million over 10 years.

That is precisely why many players are skeptical when the owners cry poverty.

The Rangers' payroll this season is $105.7 million, more than Seattle ($80.2 million), the Angels ($61.7 million) and Oakland ($40 million). Yet the Rangers are the only team among the four in the American League West not in a pennant race.

``You put a product on the field, you make adjustments, you spend money where you need to,'' Angels player representative Scott Schoeneweis said. ``It's been done, precedent has been set. Teams can survive and compete.''

The players, though, seem steadfast in avoiding anything that even resembles a salary cap, which they say is what a payroll tax is. Schoeneweis said a salary cap or a restrictive payroll tax would ``hurt certain players, squeeze guys out.'' However, guys get ``squeezed out'' every day in the big leagues. Even Schoeneweis was squeezed out of the starting rotation this season.

Schoeneweis said players from the NBA and NFL ``didn't fight the fight'' when the leagues implemented a salary cap in those leagues. No, but those leagues are prospering and there is no labor strife on the horizon.

--No bonus for Park: Under terms of Chan Ho Park's contract, if the Rangers don't pay him a $6 million bonus after this season, Park can opt for free agency. The Rangers aren't likely to pay the $6 million, but Park isn't going anywhere.

If Park leaves, he'd give up $52 million over the four years remaining on his contract. Park is 4-6 with a 7.14 ERA in 17 starts during an injury-plagued season.