It’s Deja Vu, all over again.
After another self-imposed deadline by the owners, albeit with more ramifications on the season, Major League Baseball and the Players Union again failed to make an agreement, and the full 162 game season in 2022 will not be.
If a deal bad been reached by the end of day Wednesday, the games that previously had been canceled would be made up by one series being added to the end of the season, and one series being made up by double headers and mutual off days.
As with last time, the MLB and Union met late into the night on Tuesday night, ending negotiations around 3am ET. Talks picked back up Wednesday morning and once again where there was optimism, talks slowed and while the sides got closer on a number of key issues, they ultimately could not reach an agreement.
Offers were traded back and forth during the day. The Union met internally at 5pm ET to decide what their next steps would be regarding the latest off from MLB.
The implementation of an international draft was the huge sticking point this time. The union thought that MLB was going to send a counter proposal that the players could vote on. Instead, in their eyes, MLB gave an ultimatum with three options about an international draft before negotiations would resume.
The three options were as follows –
- Accept the International draft with no draft pick compensation;
- No draft but continue compensation; or
- Sign a CBA including eliminating draft pick compensation and examine an international draft
The players have resoundingly come out against the international draft. Many Latin players, including David Ortiz and Fernando Tatis Jr have spoken out against it.
The union rejected those three options, and countered with removing the qualifying offer this season. If parties can’t agree to the international draft by November 15, the qualifying offer would return and revert to the previous international system.
MLB responded by canceling the next two series of the season, saying they would only resume discussions when MLB accepted one of the three options.
For the Los Angeles Dodgers, the now-four series that have been canceled are four games against the Colorado Rockies, three games against the Arizona Diamondbacks, three games against the Rockies in Denver and two games against the Twins in Minnesota.
If the season were to start on April 14 and is not altered, they would start the season at home with three game sets against the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves.
Afterwards, MLB released the following statement-
The Union had their own response –
One of the most frustrating parts of this is that the sides didn’t start negotiations until 43 days after the owners self-imposed lockout began December 4th. Regardless, the sides did come closer in numbers on the CBT and the pre-arbitration bonus pool. But taking weeks to inch closer to a deal is sure-fire way to lose games as well as fans.
And the wait continues.
They can all go to hell as far as I’m concerned.
At the end, there were four different proposals with regard to the Intl draft, one by the players and three by the owners. All were rejected by the other side. There was absolutely no reason why one of those proposals couldn’t have been OK with both sides.
As far as I can see, each side wants the other to accept their terms so it looks as though they won the argument.
With a second week of games postponed, this may very well lead to no season at all because the owners have said they won’t re-schedule the missed games and the players won’t come back without being paid for a full 162 games.
That, in itself, could take 6 months to negotiate. A pox on both their houses!
I’m very pro-player, but I don’t see why they couldn’t take the option to take 8 months to think about it. Lots of time to negotiate and the season could be closer to starting
It is obvious the owners are not seriously negotiating as making public ultimatums is not an effective strategy for a quick resolution. It appears the owners continue to believe they can essentially break the Union. I believe they are wrong and not looking at previous lock outs. It will be a long lock out. I once predicted we would lose 1/4 of the season. Now I estimate we will be very fortunate to only lose that many games.
I don’t wish them to go to hell, I wish to go to work in 40 hour a week, barely living wage job. Which would be hell for guys who make millions playing a game.
Why do they need to cancel games over a month out? That’s dumb. These guys are professional athletes who do nothing between seasons. They should stay in shape. There is no reason a 27 man roster can’t be ready to go in two weeks.
Bobby Miller in Arizona:
“First pitch, 100 mph fastball. Triple-digits, a number he’d flashed briefly in his stint at the Arizona Fall League last year. Only this was no aberration. The velocity carried throughout the outing, touching 101 mph as opponents struggled to make contact, let alone put a ball in play.
“He seems to be PR-ing his velo every time he goes out there,” Dodgers director of player development Will Rhymes said.
Miller already packs a heavier punch than he did a year ago in his pro ball debut. The Dodgers’ 2020 first-round pick added about 15 pounds to his 6-foot-5 frame (he’s about 235 now) and has emphasized his lower body to add stability. His pitching motion became more measured, less sporadic, as he allowed himself to get more weight behind the baseball before whipping it to the plate. The velocity has followed, allowing his entire five-pitch mix to play up in the process.”
A little while ago they reached an agreement on the International draft. I would be implemented after the 2024 season. This was a huge hurdle and could lead to an agreement later this evening.
They didn’t reach an agreement. What they did was agree to reach an agreement with regard to the International draft by July or the QO would go back into effect for next off season. The important thing is that this is no longer holding up an agreement on the full CBA.
Tom Verducci is reporting that if a CBA is finalized today, free agency could open up as early as tonight. And wouldn’t that be an early Christmas present for all of us?
Also announced that if ratified, the season would start on April 5th, spring training on the 17th. All 162 games would be played.
Of course, all of this could have been done two months ago, but both sides had to make sure to push their weight around.
We have a deal! Subject only to owner ratification at 3 PM west coast time.
Assuming that’s just a rubber stamp, free agency starts immediately after.
Opening day is April 7th and a full 162 game schedule will be played.