With the MLB lockout more than two months long, the start of 2022 Spring Training has been delayed due to the league and Players Association (MLBPA) not yet agreeing on a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
The month of December was effectively a wash as neither side presented a CBA proposal on core economics. While meetings have been held more frequently over the past few weeks, they came without much progress.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred indicated last week the league was going to provide a “good faith” counteroffer to the union over the weekend, but his characterization appears to have been overstated and the 130-page proposal was not received well.
Now five days removed from that, the MLBPA is providing the league with their latest counter on Thursday, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today:
MLB and the players union have scheduled a negotiating session Thursday
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) February 16, 2022
The next round of negotiations comes on the heels of Spring Training already being delayed as camps were scheduled to open throughout the week. Though, the next prominent date is Saturday, Feb. 26, when games begin.
Manfred previously estimated it would take four or five days from the time a new CBA was in place and ratified to opening camps. He believes players would need four weeks of Spring Training to prepare for Opening Day, which remains scheduled for March 31.
What are MLB, Players Association apart on?
While both sides appear to be aligned on a universal designated hitter, minimum player salary, expanded postseason and pre-arbitration bonus pool, they haven’t agreed to the details.
The union has requested more in minimum salary and a bonus pool for pre-arbitration players, and prefer an expanded postseason field of 12 teams instead of the league’s preference of 14.
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