MLB News: Things Looking Bleak for Opening Day in Latest Reports
The news from Jupiter, FLA is not positive for baseball fans. After reportedly making good progress on a new collective bargaining agreement, things have apparently soured quickly on Tuesday. ESPN’s Jeff Passan shared the bleak news after some earlier back and forth between the league and the MLBPA.
BREAKING: MLBPA player leaders agreed unanimously not to accept MLB's final proposal, and there will be no deal on a new collective-bargaining agreement before MLB's 5 p.m. ET deadline, sources tell ESPN.
MLB has threatened to cancel its March 31 Opening Day without a new deal.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 1, 2022
It’s a devastating outcome for fans who have been held hostage all extended offseason long. Opening day for the Dodgers and the 29 other teams was set for 30 days from now with spring training games already set to be underway. Instead, the game has come to a standstill thanks in part to a group of cheap baseball team owners.
The players are unhappy, the fans are seething, and the sport is reeling with the lockout now in its 90th day. https://t.co/2KracoWcVq
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) March 1, 2022
While MLB’s 5 pm ET deal deadline is fairly arbitrary, it feels like after 9 straight days of negotiations — including more than 17 hours of work on Monday — the clock might have finally struck midnight on opening day proceeding as scheduled.
The reactions out of Florida are less than ideal.
One player leader called the league’s proposal, “a slap in the face,” saying owners want players to lose pay. https://t.co/8TJy8drHwC
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 1, 2022
More to come as the news develops.
If they’d gone to arbitration when the owners offered it, would the season have started on time? I’m not taking a side, I’m asking.
Time to get rid of Manfred. He just killed baseball.