MLB is not doing much to make fans, or players, happy at the moment.
The lockout has now dragged on for well over a month and fans are waiting for any sort of update.
We all got one earlier this week when it was announced the two sides would meet Thursday.
This marked the first meeting since the lockout began, leaving little hope that much progress would be made.
Unfortunately, that is exactly what happened, according to ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan.
Baseball labor update: There is no deal. There never was going to be one today. MLB made a proposal. The reaction among the players was not positive. Few on either side expected it to be. The question is how soon the MLBPA counters. Spring training starting on time is in peril.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 13, 2022
As Passan said, there was never going to be a deal Thursday.
But if the two sides met briefly with no progress made, that means they are at the starting point with spring training about a month away.
That is bad news for everyone involved, including the fans.
MLB Is Dragging Its Feet
So what is the first step toward actually getting a new CBA in place?
Concessions need to be made by both sides for substantive talks to even begin.
These types of labor disputes are not rare in professional sports and time usually solves all.
Yet MLB has seen a World Series be canceled, and the NHL has even lost a full season.
Plugged-in people are reporting today’s MLB labor talks didn’t go well. Raise your hand if you thought they were going to. Talks won’t get serious until next month, if then. March 31 is Opening Day!
— Anthony Rieber (@AnthonyRieber) January 13, 2022
So it is not out of the realm of possibility for this to drag on for months and months.
There are just too many core issues being discussed for this to end smoothly.
The players want better rights, especially when it comes to hitting free agency much earlier.
Then there is the topic about who gets how much money between the owners and the players.
Shaking up the structure of the league is something that takes time and good faith on both sides.
Scheduling a discussion Thursday only to get nothing done was a waste of time for everyone.
Spring training is now officially in danger of not happening.
NEXT: Shohei Ohtani Is The True Face Of MLB