Opinion: MLB’s likely lockdown will cause big disruptions
The Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers are heading to the World Series after thrilling Game 7s.
December 1, 2021
Imagine being a professional athlete who gets paid millions of dollars, and still wanting more. That is a problem that is going on in Major League Baseball, as a work stoppage will most likely occur as early as tonight.
The current collective bargaining agreement, which is the contract that governs almost every aspect of the working relationship between MLB players and team owners, is due to expire tonight. If no new CBA is agreed to by then, at least in conditional fashion, then owners likely will force a work stoppage.
Players cannot be traded and cannot use team facilities, and no free agents can be signed.
Owners are unwilling to allow the offseason to proceed without a new CBA, resulting in a lockout for all players and coaches. Pitchers and catchers’ reporting time would be affected first, then the Rule 5 draft could be cancelled, and eventually the start of the regular season could be in jeopardy.
There have been talks for the past couple of days and meetings happening to try to stop the lockout from happening, but as it gets closer to the deadline, the lockout is looking inevitable.
All the moves this offseason could be coming to the end if a lockout lasts for a long time. Players cannot be traded and cannot use team facilities, and no free agents can be signed.
That is why most teams are hurrying with signing players to contracts, mainly being one-year deals.
Players feel their earning power has been marginalized by owners’ reliance too much on analytics and owner indifference to competition. Players are ultimately losing money with average players salaries have fallen every year since 2017.
One proposal being considered is a “salary floor” of $100 million. Teams with traditionally small payrolls would be forced to spend a minimum.
Owners want an age-based free agency instead of one set by when a young player’s first contract ends. The age-based instead of service-time based plan would delay a player’s free agency until they turn 29.5 years old.
A lockout would be controversial for owners and players. Fans can just hope for the best for their favorite players, teams, and even the start of the season.
