MLB fans have been hearing about an impending lockout for months.
But the day has finally arrived as Wednesday night marks the deadline to get a new collective bargaining agreement in place.
Would there be a last-minute agreement to prevent the work stoppage?
Both sides met Wednesday and the meeting was reportedly barely long enough for introductions to take place.
After a seven-minute meeting with top union officials, MLB negotiators are leaving the hotel where bargaining has taken place. It’s unclear whether they’ll return. And if they don’t, that could be the last discussion before a lockout.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 1, 2021
A seven-minute meeting is embarrassing and MLB appears headed for a work stoppage.
Money Is Always The Problem
Most professional sport work stoppages involve fights over money.
The owners want to make as much as possible and the players want to get paid as much as possible.
Naturally, arguments will take place.
MLB also has a series of problems players want to address.
Can we have a MLB lockout until they replace Rob Manfred?
Asking for every MLB fan on planet Earth.
— Corey Lester (@TennesseeCorey) November 30, 2021
Modernizing service time and allowing players to hit free agency earlier is a key point for the players, and one that makes perfect sense.
There is no reason why a team should call a player up on April 21 instead of April 20 in order to make sure that player has to wait longer to earn a proper salary.
That is almost evil in nature.
As for the owners, they are keen on expanding the postseason to increase those revenues.
Will the owners agree to be more fair to players?
Doing so may prevent veterans from landing giant deals, only to regress in the latter half of the contract.
Players can get paid for their current performance instead for what they did in the past.
That is just one discussion these sides will have over the coming months.
So where does this leave MLB?
Free agency will be shut down and what has been a frenzy of spending and signings will be brought to a halt.
It is going to be a long winter for baseball fans as billionaires and millionaires fight in a boardroom.
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