The current MLB lockout has its fair share of “what ifs.”
For example, what if owners hadn’t implemented the lockout in the first place?
Teams and players would probably be in their respective training camps, but the league would have lost leverage and that’s why we are currently at a stalemate.
One can understand why MLB wanted to keep their leverage, even if most of the baseball universe is condemning the measure.
The biggest of “what ifs” is this one: What if the league and the Players Association would have shown the kind of urgency they are now preaching back in December?
In fact, if we hear what MLB said at the moment of locking players and teams out, it’s even logical.
They said, back then, they had to implement the lockout to jumpstart negotiations with the union.
The Sides Lost Several Weeks In December And January
Then, the sides proceeded to not talk for over 40 days.
Why?
Nobody knows.
When confronted with that truth a few days ago, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said “phones work both ways”.
Owners were the ones who enforced the lockout, not players.
If it were for the players, they would be getting ready for spring training games by now, but owners are preventing it.
MLB veteran Steven Souza Jr. voiced the same disbelief about that particular situation: why would you implement a lockout to “speed up” negotiations and then enter a silent war for nearly six weeks?
“Imagine if we had met everyday like this in December, imagine where we would be right now,” he tweeted.
Imagine if we had met everyday like this in December, imagine where we would be right now.
— Steven Souza (@SouzaJr) February 24, 2022
He has a very good point.
If the sides started talking every day in December, like they are talking now, we may have a deal by now or be much, much closer.
The two sides are worlds apart.
Now, the start of the season is in jeopardy.
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