Even if some teams have no money, how did the Montreal Expos, with the second-lowest payroll, establish the best record in baseball before the season was canceled?

Furthermore, poor financial situations haven't stopped teams from relocating in the past or other businesses from folding. Pittsburgh and San Diego are great cities, but nobody says they have to have a franchise.

OK, the players and owners are both cold-hearted.

Now forget about the fans for a moment and look at the concessions workers, the vendors, front-office workers and the neighborhood businesses in and around the major league ballparks.

Thousands of people (college students trying to pay part of their tuition, people trying to support their families) have been laid off, and not one moment's thought has been given to them by either side.

Then there are baseball's charities, such as the Jimmy Fund here in Boston. Again, these causes are being ignored by the greed. Even if some players like Matt Williams are still giving to charity, the fans who would give because they were asked to at a game wouldn't think about it now.

What are we supposed to tell a terminally-ill child whose wish cannot be granted because people making an average of $1.2 million find that their salaries are unacceptably low?

If the poor treatment of the fans by both sides doesn't bother you, then the plight of the workers and charities should.

So the next time (if there is a next time) you feel tempted to use your vacation money or weekly earnings to take your family to a baseball game and spend $5 for parking, $12 for a ticket and an average of $7 per person on overpriced hot dogs, sodas and peanuts, think twice about who will be reaping the profits.

If you have season tickets, return them and use the money on concerts, museums or travelling or even put it into the bank.

You want that $20 Chicago White Sox cap--keep the money and save it for a good cause.

Playing major league baseball used to be a dream, and it still is from little league through college and the numerous amateur leagues for adults. There it's still a game. And a fun one, too.

It's no coincidence that football and basketball are more popular than baseball among America's youth, and even hockey is rising in popularity.

And for those of you who feel your lives are worthless without baseball (and I pity you if you fall into this category), at least form a boycott of opening day next season--whenever that might be. Fans were planning a strike this year, but the players started their walkout before the fans could get organized.

The next time, it's the fans who are holding all the cards.