Manfred Practices His Golf Swing While MLB Burns

No doubt that everyone who visits this space is already aware that Opening Day has become a casualty to MLB owners' overwhelming desire to break the resolve of the Players Association. There was some optimism Monday night when the deadline was extended one more day after negotiations lasted deep into the night. I have to admit, despite my better judgment, I allowed myself to cling to some hope. Major League Opening Day is one of my favorite days of the year. It has supplanted Christmas and my birthday at this late stage of my life — particularly the birthday.

Shifting Tides

MLB and the Players Association have kept their word to negotiate every day this week. Sadly, the news out of these sessions doesn't really provide much hope that an agreement will be reached in time to get the 2022 season underway as scheduled on March 31. I started writing a piece on that subject but realized I just wasn't feeling it. Even for folks like myself who write as a hobby rather than for a living, the golden rule is still to write about something that interests you. These CBA negotiations are the equivalent of watching Steve Trachsel pitching on a day that he didn't have it. They're proceeding at roughly the same pace as a bad Trachsel outing, too.

Beware the Self-Inflicted Wound

A CBA Win for MLB Owners Might Cost Them in the Future

I wrote a piece last month outlining why I was skeptical that a new CBA would be reached in time to get the season started as scheduled on March 31. MLB owners seem absolutely committed to not ceding ground to the players on the core economic issues, including the Competitive Balance Tax (or Luxury Tax) and how young players are paid. The owners have relentlessly utilized gains they made in the last two CBAs to hold MLB salary increases well below the rate that revenues have increased over the last few years.