Lockout Limbo 🔒

February 22, 2022

By: Carlos Alvarez

MLB & MLBPA Still Far Apart After Latest Meeting With Spring Training on Hold

Another meeting, another swing-and-a-miss. Major League Baseball and the Players’ Union met again on Monday for Day 82 in a three-month standoff regarding a new collective bargaining agreement. Spring training has already been delayed with games postponed until at least March 5. Both sides have agreed to meet daily throughout the next week to avoid delays to Opening Day, and a world of baseball fans continues to question why we waited until now to try a daily approach.

 

A Lockout in Limbo

Monday’s meeting felt like the hundredth at-bat for the two sides, and what was once a minor concern on Dec. 1 has begun to encroach on spring baseball. “Limbo” is a generous word considering the league is fast-approaching Opening Day (March 31), and they’re still playing chicken.

 

The Details of Monday’s Meeting

I could rattle off bullet points about pre-arbitration pool commitments (additional $5 million), the new MLB Draft lottery proposal or the reduction of minor league positions, but I won’t. The biggest takeaway from Monday was the fact that economic issues like revenue sharing, minimum salaries and competitive balance tax weren’t even addressed. And that’s not a good sign. Players like Max Scherzer and Francisco Lindor were in attendance, and hopefully the league’s star presence can help inch things along.

 

What Does It All Mean?

At the moment, the league believes it’s time for the MLBPA to compromise next. The two sides are still very apart with the deadline to make a deal and keep Opening Day on schedule is this week.

 

Bottom Line: I’m expecting another scheduling nightmare this spring. Until one of these meetings gives me hope, you can consider The Sportsletter’s MLB content “in limbo.”

 

Additional Storylines

MSN: Latest MLB, MLBPA Meeting Ends After Five Hours

Forbes: MLB Owners & Players Agree: Daily Meetings Could End Lockout Sooner