How are the negotiations going between Major League Baseball and the Players Association? Badly since no one seems to want to bother.
After all, the two parties are quite distant on the major issues (ie those of an economic nature) and as this is the sinews of war, that does not bode well.
There hasn’t been recent movement on revenue sharing or big-league minimums, two of the major issues remaining in talks between MLB and MLBPA.
— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) February 18, 2022
What does that mean for the season? That means the chances of her starting on time are pretty slim right now.
MLB has also informed the players that if the employment contract has not been ratified by February 28 (in 10 days), the season will not be able to start on time.
Update: MLB told the MLBPA the date that a new CBA is needed by to start 2022 season on time is Feb. 28. Unclear if union agrees that is cut-off, but there cannot be much wiggle room, a few days at most. March 31 is opening day, and ST needs 4 weeks. @BNightengale mentioned 2/28.
— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) February 18, 2022
In 10 days, at the rate things are going, that will never happen. After all, the meetings scheduled to negotiate are not frequent enough to succeed in reaching an agreement. But that was before.
At least right now everyone is feeling the sense of urgency and it looks like daily negotiations are (possibly) on the schedule for next week in an attempt to hail mary.
Per sources, some MLB owners plan to fly into New York in the coming days and have expressed interest in meeting every day next week.
If there’s no deal by next Friday, very hard to see the season starting on time.
— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) February 18, 2022
According to Ben Nicholson-Smith’s sources, MLB could be flexible about how young players are compensated.
You know what? I will see it when I will believe it.
Also per sources: MLB has indicated some flexibility exists beyond its current offers. Particularly on CBT and in getting younger players paid.
Now a question of how that flexibility manifests in offers from MLB to MLBPA.
— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) February 18, 2022
However, I am not optimistic. The way everyone has been negotiating (or not negotiating, actually) since the start of the coNFLict, I believe it will take longer.
Fortunately, for those who are looking for hope this morning, know that according to people in the industry, many stakeholders believe in a quick agreement next week since everyone will have a strong sense of urgency.
For everyone who’s saying “why not sooner?”: One of the things that’s struck me for months now is a majority of industry people believe a deal could come together very quickly and that things will accelerate at end of February. Monday may not be ideal but offers plenty of time.
—Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 18, 2022
Finally, note that if the season does not start on time, MLBPA could deny bosses of expanded executive playoffs for logistical matters… or to end the season. note that MLB wants seven clubs per league in the playoffs, but the players want six teams.
No need to tell you that the next week will be crucial?
- Players are increasingly angry with bosses.
My advice to all minor leaguers: strike/ unionize. Stop letting billionaire owners exploit your emotions/dreams and think logically. Most of you will never make it. Even if you do make it, playing in the big leagues doesn’t hold much value on a resume.
— Dylan Cozens (@dylancozens) February 17, 2022
#Bluejays Player Rep @RossStripling is my guest on the new episode of my @DeepLFPodcast – there’s a link to the podcast in this column I wrote about the interview: https://t.co/3Da3C5OyZh
—Mike Wilner (@Wilnerness) February 18, 2022
