Major League Baseball and the Players Association (MLBPA) returned to the bargaining table over the weekend for another round of collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations but to little success.
Heading into the meeting, commissioner Rob Manfred outlined areas where the league and union were aligned. He also added MLB would make a “good-faith” CBA proposal and were motivated to advance talks.
However, the MLBPA reportedly came away unimpressed by the counteroffer that was in the form of 130 pages. Where the players go from here is currently unclear as there are no CBA meetings scheduled.
With the start of Spring Training all but guaranteed to be delayed, Dodgers Spanish-language broadcaster Jaime Jarrín believes both sides must stay engaged in negotiations until a new CBA is agreed upon.
Si hay sinceridad en ambos el sindicato debe sesionar maratonicamende estudiando las 130 páginas de propuesta de dueños e inmediatamente presentar contra propuesta,luego dueños no se tomen una semana para responder; la situación apremia y negociaciones deben continuar sin parar.
— Jaime Jarrín (@JaimeJarrin) February 12, 2022
Part of why the Players Association was disappointed with MLB’s latest CBA proposal is because the league only offered modest increases in the pre-arbitration bonus pool and the luxury tax thresholds over the lifetime of a new CBA. They also remain apart on the minimum salary.
With not much progress being made, MLB also reportedly informed the MLBPA of what date a new CBA needs to be in place by to avoid the regular season not starting on time.
By most accounts — including Manfred’s — Spring Training would need to last a minimum of four weeks so players can adequately prepare for the start of the season. Thus, that leaves the league and union with roughly two weeks to ratify a CBA and open camps for the Cactus League and Grapefruit League.
Manfred previously estimated it would take roughly five days for a new CBA to be ratified in order for Spring Training camps to open.
Manfred: Canceling regular season games due to MLB lockout would be ‘disastrous outcome’
While losing a few exhibition games wouldn’t be the worst-case scenario, Manfred is focused on getting a new CBA in place as soon as possible to ensure the 2022 regular season begins on time.
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