Depending on how things go today, the MLB lockout could finally be over soon.
And they’ve let it stretch out long enough.
Spring training and Opening Day have now been delayed multiple times, making the “disastrous outcome” Rob Manfred talked about come to fruition, or so we thought.
But with Opening Day now scheduled for April 14, MLB and MLBPA can’t afford to let this go on any longer, or else an important date in baseball history will be missed, and it’s one that really can’t be missed.
The next day is Jackie Robinson Day, and baseball cannot afford to have the lockout stretch out any longer in order to save this date.
How far will owners’ lockout go? No games until April 14. The 75th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s major-league debut is April 15.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 9, 2022
A Day MLB Cannot Afford To Lose
It would be a travesty if Jackie Robinson Day is missed.
It was already missed back in 2020 due to COVID-19 shortening the season all the way down to 60 games.
That year, Jackie Robinson Day wasn’t actually celebrated until late August, and baseball cannot afford to let that happen again, especially for the second time in three years.
Losing most of spring training and having Opening Day pushed back was bad enough for baseball.
Losing Jackie Robinson Day would certainly turn more fans off to the sport, and potentially cause even more irreparable damage, which would be catastrophic.
Baseball needs to have this date be celebrated on time, and if they get a deal done today, then the date will be saved.
But again, a deal does need to be worked out today.
MLB can’t afford to let this lockout go on any further.
Enough damage has already been done to the sport, and baseball needs some clean air to come back and reclaim its place as our National Pastime.
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