MLB and the Players Association met for an eighth straight day on Monday.
Yes, something they should have done in December, when the MLB owners implemented the lockout, is being done with spring training already being pushed back and the start of the regular season on the line.
The sides are meeting to try and negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) to oversee all baseball-related operations and regulations for the 2022-2026 period.
It has been impossible, though, mostly because owners have failed to negotiate in good faith.
Inflation is slowly eating the players’ minimum salary, and the owners refuse to even come close to players’ demands, currently set at $775,000.
The union wants the competitive balance tax (CBT) not to act as a hard cap, and the players are pushing for stiffer penalties for teams who exceed the threshold (which goes directly against players’ desires).
And there is still a huge gap in the proposed pool to compensate outstanding pre-arbitration players.
The Baseball Universe Is Patiently Waiting
The world of baseball, then, is being left waiting on some good news.
“Fans and reporters await word on the baseball season,” ESPN’s Jesse Rogers tweeted on Monday, with a picture of several fans and writers waiting on the results of the latest bargaining session.
Fans and reporters await word on the baseball season. pic.twitter.com/YeF2yvhHXN
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) February 28, 2022
Fans were supposed to be enjoying baseball by now, as the first spring training games were originally scheduled for February 26 before being pushed back.
Now, there aren’t going to be games at least through March 7.
Fans, players, and media members will have to resort to extreme patience to endure the rough negotiations.
They have no choice but to keep checking the news for potentially positive developments.
It’s unlikely to happen soon, but don’t dare telling a hopeful fan not to have faith.
NEXT: MLB Insider Reveals A Key Reason For Derek Jeter's Resignation