Yesterday, at the end of the afternoon, the baseball world learned terrible news: the new employment contract was not signed before the deadline, causing the first games of the season to be canceled.
Not postponed to later dates, but canceled. And that is really a disaster for the sport.
Rob Manfred puts the popularity of his sport in jeopardy. https://t.co/Q3Ze9dEITR
— Passion MLB (@passion_mlb) March 2, 2022
Now, I want to talk to you a bit from the player’s point of view here. And I know that some of you will not appreciate my apology for millionaires (although I find it good to remember that only 29% of MLB players make more than $1 million a year), but yesterday they did, in my opinion, something great.
And Anthony Rizzo’s words are the ones that struck me the most.
To the partisans, it is you that we will miss the most. To the younger generation of baseball players, we’re doing this for you. – Anthony Rizzo
To the fans we will miss you most. To the younger generation of baseball players, this is for you.
— Anthony Rizzo (@ARizzo44) March 1, 2022
Since the start of the negotiations, the players have been emphasizing a very specific point: they want better remuneration for young players, who are often underpaid.
Currently, there are players who are on their team’s roster of 40 players who need to drive an Uber in order to pay their bills.
Hey Brian. I signed for $5k in 2018, made $10k in 2019, less in 2020, and about $18k in AAA in 2021. Got added to the 40-man this off-season, so I am locked out currently. Been driving Uber since January so I have money until baseball starts. A lot of us actually need it. 🤫 https://t.co/PZ59zWmgcm
—Steven Wilson (@Swilson2436) March 2, 2022
And let me doubt that only one owner has had to drive an Uber since the lockout began. In fact, I would go so far as to say that none of them have done so for a while.
No, it’s not Max Scherzer, Gerrit Cole and Francisco Lindor who need that money. These guys are doing well financially and they don’t pretend otherwise.
However, that does not prevent them from trying to help their colleagues. Several veterans and well-heeled players have refused to receive the allowances offered to players since the start of the lockout to somehow increase the amounts granted to players who really need it.
We’re talking about $5,000 per month for these players. Do the math: we are very far from a million dollars a year.
– Not all players are taking the stipends, though, with a lot of veterans/well-paid guys declining so there is more for those who haven’t reached arbitration, free agency, etc. Have heard from a few younger players that veterans declining the stipend has been very unifying.
— Jesse Dougherty (@dougherty_jesse) March 2, 2022
The players know that the negotiations could continue over time. Still, seeing veterans refuse these allowances and being dedicated to the cause of increasing the salaries of young players, it united the group.
They also recommended that young players save money in case games are canceled (and they don’t get paid for those games)
After all, they weren’t particularly surprised by yesterday’s cancellations.
“We’re prepared. We’ve seen this coming in a sense. It’s unfortunate, but this isn’t new to us. This is not shocking.”
Andrew Miller spoke to reporters on Tuesday night and said that players are prepared and united to miss games. https://t.co/L78tGbDuq5
— Audacy Sports (@AudacySports) March 2, 2022
Again, I’m not here to feel sorry for the league’s wealthiest players. It’s more the fate of young players who are already having trouble making ends meet that makes me a little sad.
So will that of MLB stadium workers, who will find themselves unemployed due to a dispute in which they are not even involved. These people have too often been forgotten during the lockout and yesterday’s announcements hurt them very much.
What seems clear today is that the rumors about a potential Monday-Tuesday deal were aired by MLB itself. Thus, she gives herself the beautiful role by saying that the players have changed from your Tuesday and that it is not their fault.
Because, as Ross Stripling explains, the owners made completely ridiculous offers overnight from Monday to Tuesday. They put forward aspects that had never been discussed by relying on the pressure they put on them via the media.
Important stuff here from @RossStripling about what exactly is going on in those meetings and why we are yet to have a deal pic.twitter.com/5fF9Mzd5As
— Ben Verlander (@BenVerlander) March 2, 2022
When I said earlier that this text is not an apology for the wealthiest players, I should perhaps have specified that it is rather intended as an apology for the unity of the players against a group that does not didn’t want to discuss seriously until the last 10 days of a deadline he imposed himself.
The Players Association has not been completely blameless, don’t get me wrong. It may have been a little too greedy on certain points, admittedly, but in terms of volume, it did not crumble under the pressure of accepting an offer totally to the advantage of the owners.
Owners who use their teams to avoid paying all the taxes they should be paying, by the way. Take the time to read the following text, it is really worth it.
—Foolish Baseball (@FoolishBB) March 2, 2022
I sincerely hope that the conflict will be resolved as soon as possible and that baseball will be back before the start of the summer. However, until the owners come to the negotiating table ready to make concessions, there will be no agreement.
Because even if they are oh so eager to return to the field, the players are currently more united than they have ever been.
Players are united. Players are passionate. And you best believe whenever this is over they are going to come out and put on one hell of a show for baseball fans.
— Ben Verlander (@BenVerlander) March 2, 2022
