PITTSBURGH, Pa. (PTTP) – While Spring Training has already started for those in the Minor Leagues, players at the MLB level and who are part of the organization’s 40-Man Rosters are not allowed to partake in team activities after Major League Baseball locked out the Player’s Association in early December.
The lockout comes after both sides were unable to reach an agreement on an extension for the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The CBA is an agreement between the two sides that allows the players to play, and the owners to benefit from the player’s ability to play.
In recent years, there has been a lot of talk around the league about the lack of competitive balance. The owners’ stance seems to be to close that gap a little bit while maximizing profits, whereas the players are interested in increasing their profits and allowing more players to reach Free Agency earlier in their careers. This is a conflict of interest as those two stances can’t really coincide in an easy agreement.
While most owners seemingly want to institute some sort of salary cap/floor system, the Player’s Association wants to allow all players to make as much money as possible, which then puts smaller market teams out of contention for big-name players.
Since the lockout started in December, the two sides have barely met to discuss the CBA. With Spring Training already beginning, MLB players and team management are eager to get a deal finalized in order to minimize the effect on the 2022 season.
While the immediate future seems uncertain for this season, there is a sense of optimism around the league and throughout the Pirate’s Spring Training facility that a deal will get signed, and both sides will move into the season able to play.