Yankee Stadium under lock and key as the MLB Lockout continues since Dec 2, 2021 (image from the New York Post)

MLB Commissioner: If no deal by the 28th -The regular season is in Jeopardy

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

It was on December 2, 2021, that Mr.Rob Manfred, Commissioner of Baseball ordered a lockout on behalf of the owners. Until today’s announcement in New York by Mr.Manfred, two months and 18 days have passed-by and MLB (owners) and the MLBPA (players association) are not very close to a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

According to reports, today’s meeting lasted 15 innings, sorry, 15 minutes I meant to say. Ironically, when they meet they are fast meetings; exactly what baseball is trying to do, make the games shorter!

Spring Training was to begin this week, and the first Spring Training games are scheduled in eight days. Obviously, that is not going to happen. One thing both sides agree (and it has never been an issue) players need four weeks of Spring Training.

The Office of the Commissioner did not give us the official delay of Spring Training if there is any, and now Manfred is ringing the alarm that if nothing happens by the 28th of this month, the regular season is in jeopardy.

Meantime, the economies of Arizona and Florida, which do very well during Spring Training with fans spending money in hotels, restaurants, baseball games, and all type of entertainment in these two states is suffering and will continue to suffer if they ever do anything in Spring Training.

For Arizona, it might be a bigger deal than Florida. After all, Florida announced recently they set a new record for tourism last year with 117 million domestic visitors.

Analysts say the new record was a combination of Florida’s successful less strict mandates for Covid and the weather which is always the biggest attraction in what today is the fourth most populous state in the country, only California, Texas, and New York have larger populations than the Sunshine State.

On Thursday MLB arrived to hear the Players Union latest proposal and this is what happened:

The MLBPA backed off its request for arbitration for all players within two plus years of service and requested that 80% of players go into the system. Also, the union requested an increase in its per-arbitration bonus pool asks from $100 million to $115 million. This was reported all happened inside those furious 15 minutes and, Adiós, Hasta la Vista!

By the time you are reading this on Friday morning, more than likely, Commissioner Manfred will make another announcement. It is truly a game they’re playing, by posturing and making statements to look good in the eyes of the most important people in this negotiation, the fans.

Although they are not at the table in the middle of these two groups the fans are the most powerful, just like a voter has a vote come to Election Day, the fans have the most powerful power of the purse, for nobody will force you to attend watch or listen to a game. Some fans have become more than frustrated; they are cynical like never before.

Keep in mind, that although we should always respect serious negotiations between Management and Labor, this is not your typical negotiation between boss and employee for minimum wages, this is at another level, it is basically by two very “well to do” sides on how to slice the pie.

Stay tuned for more because I am sure there are many acts to follow in this Circus.

Join Amaury Pi Gonzalez who does News and Commentary podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com