We’re now on day 5 of the MLB lockout. Nothing has happened since Wednesday. No activity, no trades, no signings, and no Winter Meetings.
This really sucks. Baseball is in a very bad spot right now.
And so it’s been people’s first instinct to blame the owners, and understandably so. They seem to want all the money, they want to manipulate service time, and don’t seem to want to budge.
But you have to look closer.
We’re going to explain how this lockout is both sides’ fault, and how their failure to negotiate in good faith led to this moment.
Why the players are wrong
It may seem like they don’t want that much in return. What they do want is understandable. But they’re just as palpable as the owners here.
The owners have actually made some compromises. They’ve proposed the universal DH, eliminating the seven inning doubleheaders and runners on second to start extra innings, and have agreed to increase the minimum salary for younger players. They also agreed to provide housing for minor leaguers.
The owners may have been the ones to start the lockout, but at least they’ve proposed some things to the players. And the players want a significant increase in money, and haven’t seemed to be even willing to make any sort of compromise.
Why the owners are wrong
Sure, the owners made some proposals, but they haven’t really offered that much. What they have proposed hasn’t exactly been good.
As mentioned above, they still want to manipulate service time and free agency, and not let arbitration take place until after three years. They still seem to want to be cheap and act like they’re broke even though they’re all multi-billionaires. And the younger players in the league need more money to support themselves.
They are the ones that have facilitated this lockout too, claiming that it was a necessary action. But was it?
The players seem to want to at least get back to the negotiating table, despite their role in the matter. The owners basically just quit and acted like a bunch of crybabies.
Both sides are far apart, and it’s probably going to take a great deal of time to get the next CBA hammered out. We’re just going to have to be patient I guess.
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