CBA '21-'22 Thread

[Gregg]

I like you guys--you are an optimistic bunch. Compared to my sky is falling friend, anyway. I wish I had hard evidence to assuage his worries, as he is obsessed with baseball and he is really down, because he is just certain baseball is doomed. But I suppose it is the nature of negotiation tactics that both sides will play hardball until they don't. They have to posture and pretend they are not all keenly aware of the ticking clock and the tremendous stakes of dragging this on, if they want the other side to give ground. I still think they are dumb enough to miss some games, but not many. I am still holding out hope for none, and I also hope they don't rush ST too much, as we all have seen how that can increase injuries.

The owners got a taste of no baseball or should I say less baseball. I doubt they want that to happen again.

Heck, Cubs ownership invested heavily in a beautiful area around Wrigley, no baseball no fans spending money there. Historic loses. So much so they had to sell off their team or so they would have us believe.

[Pauly]

Bring in the feds!

[Bene Futuis]

MLB won't even offer up a counter to the MLBPA's offer from a couple days ago. I guess they're content to see whether the players will accede to their request to use a federal mediator.


Plenty of time, baseball. No rush or anything. Feels like everything MLB does is in bad faith.

[harmon]

MLB won't even offer up a counter to the MLBPA's offer from a couple days ago. I guess they're content to see whether the players will accede to their request to use a federal mediator.


Plenty of time, baseball. No rush or anything. Feels like everything MLB does is in bad faith.

I thought the request for a mediator was a positive development reflecting interest by MLB to get things moving faster.

You don't see it that way?

[revo]

I thought the request for a mediator was a positive development reflecting interest by MLB to get things moving faster.

You don't see it that way?

I kinda do, but OTOH, it also shows that they're at a pretty big impasse.

[Bene Futuis]

I thought the request for a mediator was a positive development reflecting interest by MLB to get things moving faster.

You don't see it that way?

I don't. Instead of negotiating in good faith to end the lockout they initiated, MLB is now backtracking on their previous commitments and requesting a mediator? I think the union is rightfully seeing this as just a PR stunt. Would be glad to be wrong on this one, though, for sure.

[harmon]

I don't. Instead of negotiating in good faith to end the lockout they initiated, MLB is now backtracking on their previous commitments and requesting a mediator? I think the union is rightfully seeing this as just a PR stunt. Would be glad to be wrong on this one, though, for sure.

It just seems to me that these two parties need some third party involvement. They are not getting very far on anything currently and left to their own devices it's not looking pretty.

I don't know that public perception (i.e. PR stunt) holds any weight to either side. When either side really cares about what the fans thinks it will be the first time.

[Gregg]

I thought the request for a mediator was a positive development reflecting interest by MLB to get things moving faster.

You don't see it that way?

I also think it is a positive development. At least they are doing it now rather than waiting and missing games. They have had the Feds mediate in the past.

I also agree with revo that it is evidence of a large impasse. Third party should help.

[Gregg]

I don't. Instead of negotiating in good faith to end the lockout they initiated, MLB is now backtracking on their previous commitments and requesting a mediator? I think the union is rightfully seeing this as just a PR stunt. Would be glad to be wrong on this one, though, for sure.

The lockout was a preemptive defensive move against a strike. Strikes can be good for players, but it is bad for fans. I think bringing in a third party at this time is good for fans. It doesn't have to be a PR stunt if they get this resolve quickly.

[Bene Futuis]

It's impossible to look at all the bad faith words and actions from the owners from day one and give them credit for anything, including wanting to resolve anything quickly.

[Pauly]

what a shit show this is.

[Pauly]

and the reply

[Sour Masher]

I let my Athletic subscription lapse, which I regret today, because they have an article up explaining why the players rejected the mediator. Anyone know the reasoning? I'm not seeing any clear cut reason why accepting the mediator would be bad for the players. It would stall things as the mediator got caught up, but to reject mediation seems optimistic that owners will come to the table and actually negotiate, which they promised, but have not done.

[Bene Futuis]

Lmao - told ya. Ownership and Manfred are such jackasses. We all know that despite the unnecessary, owner-inspired lockout that MLB refused to even negotiate or extend an offer for, what, 42 or 43 days? And now after they've breached their oral commitment to counteroffer, we should believe this is anything other than yet another delay tactic? Players have smartly learned their lesson with these ridiculous MLB attempts at grandstanding and pushing agendas through federal mediation after the 1994/95 debacle (interestingly it was then federal court judge Sonya Sotomayor who issued the injunctive relief that actually got things back on track). This is 100,000,000% a PR stunt on the part of MLB and nothing more. The owners and their incompetent mouthpiece Manfred are the villains here very obviously, imho.

[The Feral Slasher]

I let my Athletic subscription lapse, which I regret today, because they have an article up explaining why the players rejected the mediator. Anyone know the reasoning? I'm not seeing any clear cut reason why accepting the mediator would be bad for the players. It would stall things as the mediator got caught up, but to reject mediation seems optimistic that owners will come to the table and actually negotiate, which they promised, but have not done.

A couple quotes below. When I was going to cancel my subscription they offered a $20 dollar per year renewal...not sure if that is available for new customers.


“How can MLB request for there to be a mediator from the federal government to help with negotiations when they literally haven’t even done any negotiating up to this point? Asking for a friend,” Giants pitcher Alex Wood wrote on Twitter.

The MLBPA famously had a poor experience with federal mediation during the 1994-95 strike. In 2019, Don Fehr, the head of the MLBPA during that strike, called the mediation process “a joke” that had “no value.”

“The ploy used by the league to hire a federal mediator to work through the lockout is a tactic to show they are bargaining in good faith,” Mitch Garver of the Twins wrote on Twitter. “We the players want to get to the bargaining table ASAP to get ready for the 2022 season.