by Ben Burns
Sunday, Feb 27, 2022More and more regularly, I find myself being asked: "What's going on with baseball, will the season start on time?" Truthfully, I haven't been paying very close attention. However, I decided that I better get up to speed. Here's what I learned.
Why The Lockout?
The latest 5-year "collective bargaining agreement" ended on December 1st. Though they've been meeting regularly, the two sides, the owners and the players, haven't been able to agree on a new one since. They'll be meeting again shortly after I finish this article, Sunday at 1:00 ET.
What Does A Lockout Mean?
It means that the owners have "locked out" the players which means that the teams can have no contact with them. Until resolved, there can be no practices, no free agent signings, no spring training. Nothing.
What's The Issue?
There are a number of things that the two sides are negotiating. However, when you get to the heart of it, money is always the main issue. Reportedly, their biggest current differences include: the luxury tax rates and thresholds, the min. salary and the (new) pre-arbitration bonus pool.
When's The Deadline?
It's here. February 28th. If nothing is agreed by the end of the day Monday, then spring training will not start on time. Without enough time for spring training, regular season games will begin to get canceled.
Is There Hope?
Apparently, while they're still far apart on a few things, progress is being made. Hopefully, today's meeting is a good one. With so much money at stake, you'd sure like to think that they can figure it out.
If a deal is reached, it'll be full steam ahead. Things will be moving fast. Opening Day will begin on March 31st and I'll be ready to go. I'll check back in on Tuesday, with an update.
Why The Lockout?
The latest 5-year "collective bargaining agreement" ended on December 1st. Though they've been meeting regularly, the two sides, the owners and the players, haven't been able to agree on a new one since. They'll be meeting again shortly after I finish this article, Sunday at 1:00 ET.
What Does A Lockout Mean?
It means that the owners have "locked out" the players which means that the teams can have no contact with them. Until resolved, there can be no practices, no free agent signings, no spring training. Nothing.
What's The Issue?
There are a number of things that the two sides are negotiating. However, when you get to the heart of it, money is always the main issue. Reportedly, their biggest current differences include: the luxury tax rates and thresholds, the min. salary and the (new) pre-arbitration bonus pool.
When's The Deadline?
It's here. February 28th. If nothing is agreed by the end of the day Monday, then spring training will not start on time. Without enough time for spring training, regular season games will begin to get canceled.
Is There Hope?
Apparently, while they're still far apart on a few things, progress is being made. Hopefully, today's meeting is a good one. With so much money at stake, you'd sure like to think that they can figure it out.
If a deal is reached, it'll be full steam ahead. Things will be moving fast. Opening Day will begin on March 31st and I'll be ready to go. I'll check back in on Tuesday, with an update.
