The meeting between MLB and the MLBPA is over. It lasted 15 minutes.
The lockout has no end in sight, and we’re at the point now where it’s looking like Opening Day will be delayed.
The Players’ Association was set to respond to the league’s proposal from last Saturday, which included an increase in the league minimum salary, an increase in the amount of money in the pre-arbitration bonus pool, an increase in CBT tax thresholds, and a limit to the number of times players can be optioned. It also included a calendar with a deadline for a deal to be reached in time for the start of the regular season.
Today, the players dropped their request for arbitration for all players with at least two years of service and proposed that 80% of players go into the system. The union also proposed an increase to the pre-arbitration bonus pool, bumping their request up from $100 million to $115 million, which is said to be a non-starter for the owners.
The fact that this lasted only 15 minutes tells us a lot about both sides. At this point, it’s mere child’s play. You can’t just put it all on one side anymore. Both sides are extremely stubborn and now seem to be taking steps back instead of moving towards the middle like they should be doing. All they’ve done is continue to dig their heels in and not make any compromises.
According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, we’re now 11 days away from that so-called deadline to get a deal in place in order to start the season on time. Commissioner Rob Manfred said that losing regular season games would be a “disastrous outcome” for baseball. Unless something is reached by Feb. 28, which is 11 days from today, it looks like that “disastrous outcome” will come true.
