MLB.com

By Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com

Gene Orza, the No. 2 ranking official in the players association, expressed optimism on the matter, saying the union and management officials are busy behind the scenes trying to work toward an agreement.

"We can get this done, I think," said Orza, the union's longtime associate counsel, as the Yankees played the Yomiuri Giants in the second game of a day-night exhibition doubleheader at the Tokyo Dome. "I'm not saying it's going to happen this week. It's unlikely, but it's possible."

Rob Manfred, MLB's vice president of labor relations and human resources, confirmed that he has had discussions with Orza about the World Cup since officials from MLB and the union arrived in Japan this weekend.

"We're under considerable time pressure to get this done in the next few days," Manfred said.

Orza agreed that this week's celebration of baseball here was a positive atmosphere for the parties to negotiate. "Why not?" he said. "We're staying in the same hotel."

MLB hopes to put on the first World Cup in the U.S. next March. As many as 16 different countries would complete during a break in Spring Training, and all Major League players would be eligible to play for their national teams.

But first, MLB and the union must settle the difference between the drug testing stipulated for all players on the 40-man roster in the MLB Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program and the more stringent rules that guide testing for international events such as the Olympics.