The good news about Major League Baseball’s imminent lockout is that it has created an artificial free agency deadline for many teams looking to improve in hopes that therewill be a full 162-game season in 2022.I remember a few vague stories about a work stoppage / strike during the year and didn't take much stock in them, given that the game was / still is losing viewership / popularity and anything like a stoppage now would affect (read - hurt) all sides. Cooler heads have this one resolved well before spring training starts.
As of now, unless there’s a labor agreement between owners and the Players Association, all MLB business closes at midnight Wednesday. As a result, we’ve seen a frenzy of signings by aggressive teams intent on improving their chances for 2022.
Through Monday, there had been 16 free agent player agreements with guarantees of more than $20 million (no big splashes for the “deliberate” Red Sox, who spent the last few days buying an NHL team). In the past month, MLB owners have pledged more than $1.4 billion in guaranteed contracts, almost $1.2 billion since Friday.
Wednesday, December 01, 2021
Suicide Solution?
Shank writes about a potential upcoming work stoppage in baseball, which is always less harmful in the offseason:
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I remember the 1994 lockout well; not only did it cancel the end of the season, but shortened the 1995 season as well. It took a few years for the game to gain popularity again, and only because Selig and the owners decided to look the other way while players like McGwire, Sosa, and others took PEDs ("chicks dig the long ball").
The benefit the two sides have right now is that it's early December and not late February. Let's see whether they can fuck themselves again.
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