New York ? Lawyers for baseball players and owners spent eight hours making their final arguments Thursday in the union’s case to block contraction.

Arbitrator Shyam Das has told the sides he will try to make a decision in the case by July 15.

Michael Weiner, Virginia Seitz and Steve Fehr the brother of union head Donald Fehr made the final arguments for the union, and Howard Ganz and Frank Coonelly made the final presentation for management.

Owners voted Nov. 6 to fold two franchises, and the union was told by management negotiators that Minnesota and Montreal were the targeted teams.

Players filed a grievance arguing the decision violated their labor contract, which expired Nov. 7 and remains in effect through this World Series.

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig, blocked by a Minnesota injunction that forced the Twins to honor their lease at the Metrodome this season, put off contraction but vowed to eliminate two teams which remain unspecified for the 2003 season.