Even as the clock ticked down toward the midnight expiration of Major League Baseballs labor agreement and a potential work stoppage, MLB had yet to schedule a lockout vote by owners, sources told ESPN late Wednesday afternoon.While that was viewed by people around the sport as another hopeful sign of progress toward a new labor deal, sources said owners have been told by MLB to be on alert Wednesday night, in case theres a need for an emergency vote either to ratify an agreement or to lock out the players if negotiations collapse.Meanwhile, the two sides continued to talk and, by Wednesday afternoon, had been negotiating almost continuously for more than 24 hours, on little or no sleep. Multiple sources continue to report they have made significant progress, but had yet to reach agreement on what appeared to be the last remaining major issue of disagreement: how a revised competitive balance tax (a.k.a., luxury tax) would function.Sources said the two sides have discussed significant changes to the tax, which has been assessed for more than a decade on teams that go over a negotiated payroll threshold. However, the players have balked at proposals they viewed as acting like a de facto salary cap by imposing penalties so stiff on big spenders that no team would opt to exceed the threshold.USA Today reported Tuesday that owners wanted to keep the threshold at $189 million in the first year of the agreement, which would mark the fourth consecutive season at that figure. Under the owners proposal, the threshold then would increase incrementally in future years.Players have asked for an immediate increase that reflects the sports steep rise in revenues over the last several years. The sides also have differed on tax rates, and potential other penalties, for teams that exceed the threshold several years in a row or exceed it by many millions of dollars.However, if the sides can reach agreement on how the tax would work, its believed that a number of other changes would then fall into place. Other provisions of the new agreement would be expected to include:Teams that sign a premium free agent would no longer have to give up a draft pick to the team that lost that player. It is expected that teams losing those players still would receive a pick, however.Although owners pushed for months to include international players in the amateur draft, they dropped that demand this week, sources said. In its place, teams would work under a revised system of bonus pools that are expected to place hard limits on how much each club can spend to sign foreign-born players.Roster size would increase from 25 players to 26 through the end of August, then would jump to either 28 or 29 players from Sept. 1 on, instead of the current 40.The sides have talked about starting future seasons four or five days earlier than in the past as a means to give teams more days off during the regular season. The sides also have discussed scheduling more day games when teams face long flights following those games.There would be changes to baseballs revenue-sharing formula which would affect both payers and recipients. Details of those changes remain unknown.The sides have discussed numerous changes to the June amateur draft. Those changes could include everything from a revamped slotting system to trading picks. Details have yet to emerge.It is expected that tougher penalties would be imposed on players who violate baseballs joint drug agreement. A number of players have spoken publicly about the need for longer suspensions for those who test positive for performance-enhancing drugs.Changes also are likely in baseballs domestic-violence policy. Details have yet to emerge.The sides have discussed the possibility of playing games outside North America during the regular season in future seasons. It isnt known yet exactly where those games would be scheduled, but commissioner Rob Manfred has said publicly he would like to see regular-season games played in London.The agreement also would address numerous other issues, from service-time rules to expansion, from replay to pace of game, from meal money to ways to discourage tanking. However, it might be as much as several weeks until all of those changes will be known publicly. Best Site Buy China Jerseys .C. -- Al Jefferson joked that he feels he can score from anywhere on the court. Replica Jerseys China . Olli Jokinen, Mark Scheifele, and Bryan Little each had a goal and an assist as Winnipeg won 5-2, handing Calgary its record-setting seventh consecutive loss on home ice. http://www.cheapjerseysreview.com/ .J. -- Marty Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins yet again. Cheap Jerseys For Sale .R. Smith realized how easily basketball can be taken from him, and he wasnt going to take his place in the NBA for granted anymore. Where To Buy Cheap Jerseys . -- The Missouri Tigers might not have a roster full of superstars. Adelaide have resisted the temptation to test their depth against bottom-placed Essendon in the AFL.With bookmakers placing the sixth-placed Crows at $1.01 to win Sundays twilight game at Adelaide Oval, few could have blamed selectors for mixing things up.Adelaide have used just 27 players so far this season, the fewest of any side in the competition.In contrast, the depleted Bombers have rotated through 38 players, equal to Collingwood and second only to injury-ravaged Gold Coast (39).But the Crows appear in no rush to change things up, recalling speedsters Paul Seedsman and David Mackay to replace skipper Taylor Walker (ankle) and defender Ricky Henderson (achilles).We wont get too cute on the way through, coach Don Pyke said on Thursday.I think theres a real risk in doing that.If theres clearly guys who are in need of a rest or who have got injuries theyre carrying, well manage them accordingly but otherwise well keep the team rolling.Essendon have named James Polkinghorne, Craig Bird and Sam Michael to replace James Kelly (rested), Mitch Brown (groin) and Shaun McKernan (illness).With only percentage separating six of the AFLs top eight sides, a game agaainst Essendon couldnt come at a better time for Adelaide.ddddddddddddThe Crows are second only to Greater Western Sydney as the highest-scoring side in the competition.Essendon are the lowest-scoring team and also have the second-worst defensive record, conceding an average of 110 points per game.But with the Crows coming off a humbling 30-point loss to Geelong, Pyke said he had no interest in demanding an ultra-attacking performance.Were not in that headspace at all, he said.The guys are pretty keen to atone for what was a performance which wasnt like us last week.Were going to focus on Essendon, focus on playing our way and playing the system we want to play.Well take the result whatever that brings.TESTING THE DEPTH: MOST PLAYERS USED BY AFL SIDES TO RD19, 2016:39 - Gold Coast38 - Collingwood, Essendon37 - Brisbane, Fremantle, Richmond36 - Melbourne, Western Bulldogs35 - Greater Western Sydney34 - Carlton, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Sydney33 - St Kilda32 - Geelong, Hawthorn, West Coast27 - Adelaide(Source: afltables.com) ' ' '