Next week will probably decide the immediate future of the 2022 MLB season.

For months, the league and the Players Association haven’t come to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA), so owners implemented a lockout: players can’t have any communications with team officials.

Amid several pressure moves by MLB (the lockout, postponing the start of spring training through March 5, etc.), the unhappy MLBPA stands ready to keep negotiation a fair deal for them.

The parties involved announced that they will meet next week, starting on Monday, every day if it’s necessary to negotiate a deal.

If only they had shown this sense of urgency before, we may not be talking about lost games.

But here we are, ready to enter a crucial week.

Players And Owners Will Be Present In Next Week’s Sessions

Unlike what has happened recently, several owners and players will be present in next week’s bargaining sessions.

New York #Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner, Boston #RedSox owner John Henry, Colorado #Rockies owner Dick Monfort and San Diego #Padres vice chairman Ron Fowler are expected to be in attendance next week for the #MLB and #MLBPA negotiations.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) February 18, 2022

USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported the names of some of the owners expected to show up.

“New York #Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner, Boston #RedSox owner John Henry, Colorado #Rockies owner Dick Monfort and San Diego #Padres vice chairman Ron Fowler are expected to be in attendance next week for the #MLB and #MLBPA negotiations,” he tweeted.

More owners could go to the meetings, but so far, those are the confirmed names.

There will be some players, too: both sides appear to have more willingness to get dirty and really discuss the most difficult topics: competitive balance tax, minimum salary, pre-arbitration players bonus pool, CBT penalties, and more.

With several owners and players, the sessions are expected to be intense, to say the least.

MLB is getting ready for a busy week.

The post MLB Sending Its Top Brass To Negotiate The Lockout appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Source link